as in mother
of, relating to, or characteristic of a mother her maternal instincts told her that something was wrong

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of maternal He is also survived by his two maternal grandparents, Kathy and Harry Stark, and two paternal grandparents, Betty and Jerry, as well as several aunts and uncles. Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 18 Oct. 2025 Once upon a time, maternal unhappiness seemed like the third rail of cultural discourse, something too dangerous to touch. Emma Specter, Vogue, 18 Oct. 2025 The awakening of any maternal feelings towards Lyra are delayed and never free of conflict. Literary Hub, 17 Oct. 2025 For babies whose mother did not receive a maternal RSV vaccine, a monoclonal antibody shot is available for infants under 8 months old and for some children up to 19 months old. Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for maternal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maternal
Adjective
  • Both biological parents and those with parental responsibility over children, including legal guardians and foster parents, would be eligible for the exemption.
    Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
  • The film’s more compelling moments reflect the rich uncertainty that Polly is able to mine from her new boss, whether that has to do with challenging her parental instincts, her lust for life, or even her sanity.
    David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • In Seychellois folklore, it was said to hold the feminine spirit of the earth, fertility embodied in botanical form.
    Shelby Stewart, Essence, 22 Oct. 2025
  • The reemergence of traditional gender roles manifests in fashion through hyper masculine and hyper feminine ways of dressing.
    Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The portrayal appears to suggest that motherly attributes are solely within the realm of being loving, caring, comforting, protective, sheltering, and so on.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2025
  • In that situation, some new parents might have chosen to wait and see how things progressed, but Randall's motherly instincts told her action was required.
    Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Maternal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maternal. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

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