as in sex
sexual union involving penetration of the vagina by the penis
if the mare doesn't get pregnant from this mating, you don't have to pay for the second try
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in sleeping
to engage in sexual intercourse
cats conceive almost every time they mate
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of mating
Ryan Gillespie, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Jan. 2026
Among these dolphins, males with close social bonds spend much of their time together, often traveling, foraging, mating and resting in the same groups.
—Hasmik Kirakosyan, Scientific American, 23 Jan. 2026
These surface active groups can also provide mating opportunities.
—Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 13 Jan. 2026
The script has an anthropologist’s curiosity about the mating habits of Homo sapiens collegiate.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2026
Sellew is a bold new voice, using sharp, stylish prose to explore the hinterland of contemporary mating.
—Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026
One preference the females seem to have is fine sand – this is also the first to degrade in the circle, meaning the male won't reuse his masterpiece but build from scratch when another mating event requires it.
—New Atlas, 3 Jan. 2026
Exploration cruises On exploration cruises, programming centers on expert presentations relevant to the region, such as shark mating rituals in Oceania and glacial melt in Antarctica.
—Jane Wooldridge, Miami Herald, 25 Dec. 2025
The beetles can then fly out of the trap and spread the spores through mating.
—Cole Premo, CBS News, 3 Dec. 2025
New Atlas, 25 Jan. 2026
Jackie and Shadow’s prior mating seasons have been marked by cycles of celebration and heartbreak.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 24 Jan. 2026
Hamsters are territorial, and females frequently kick the male out after mating.
—Noel Kirkpatrick, Treehugger, 20 Jan. 2026
In the animal kingdom, mammals play dead so that a predator will lose interest in them; some female dragonflies do it to avoid mating.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 22 Dec. 2025
These close evolutionary neighbors sometimes share DNA, including potentially beneficial mutations, by mating across the species lines defined by humans’ classification systems.
—David Toews, The Conversation, 11 Dec. 2025
Adults emerge from the pupae and begin feeding, mating and laying eggs.
—Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 27 Oct. 2025
Fall is mating season for elk in places like Rocky Mountain National Park and Yellowstone, and approaching too closely can put both humans and animals at risk.
—AFAR Media, 23 Oct. 2025
Male ratfish have a structure called a tenaculum, which is essentially a retractable rod tipped with a chandelier of teeth that springs out of their forehead to grip females during mating.
—Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 8 Oct. 2025
Noun
The Marshalls rescued her from Lake Copeland so she wouldn’t be harmed by her parents, a mating pair of swans who still live there.
—Ryan Gillespie, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Jan. 2026
Among these dolphins, males with close social bonds spend much of their time together, often traveling, foraging, mating and resting in the same groups.
—Hasmik Kirakosyan, Scientific American, 23 Jan. 2026
These surface active groups can also provide mating opportunities.
—Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 13 Jan. 2026
The script has an anthropologist’s curiosity about the mating habits of Homo sapiens collegiate.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2026
Sellew is a bold new voice, using sharp, stylish prose to explore the hinterland of contemporary mating.
—Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026
One preference the females seem to have is fine sand – this is also the first to degrade in the circle, meaning the male won't reuse his masterpiece but build from scratch when another mating event requires it.
—New Atlas, 3 Jan. 2026
Exploration cruises On exploration cruises, programming centers on expert presentations relevant to the region, such as shark mating rituals in Oceania and glacial melt in Antarctica.
—Jane Wooldridge, Miami Herald, 25 Dec. 2025
The beetles can then fly out of the trap and spread the spores through mating.
—Cole Premo, CBS News, 3 Dec. 2025
Verb
Frequent mate switching combined with low reproductive ‘skew’ and possibly the active avoidance of mating with close relatives, may be effective strategies to maintaining the genetic health of relatively small populations.
—New Atlas, 25 Jan. 2026
Jackie and Shadow’s prior mating seasons have been marked by cycles of celebration and heartbreak.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 24 Jan. 2026
Hamsters are territorial, and females frequently kick the male out after mating.
—Noel Kirkpatrick, Treehugger, 20 Jan. 2026
In the animal kingdom, mammals play dead so that a predator will lose interest in them; some female dragonflies do it to avoid mating.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 22 Dec. 2025
These close evolutionary neighbors sometimes share DNA, including potentially beneficial mutations, by mating across the species lines defined by humans’ classification systems.
—David Toews, The Conversation, 11 Dec. 2025
Adults emerge from the pupae and begin feeding, mating and laying eggs.
—Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 27 Oct. 2025
Fall is mating season for elk in places like Rocky Mountain National Park and Yellowstone, and approaching too closely can put both humans and animals at risk.
—AFAR Media, 23 Oct. 2025
Male ratfish have a structure called a tenaculum, which is essentially a retractable rod tipped with a chandelier of teeth that springs out of their forehead to grip females during mating.
—Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 8 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mating
Noun
-
The findings, from 1,592 U.S. citizens of different ages, sexes, races and incomes, were collected between Dec. 20 and Dec. 22.—
Nicholas Rice,
PEOPLE,
28 Dec. 2025
-
On his first day in office, Mr. Trump signed an executive order that declared the federal government would recognize only two immutable sexes: male and female.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
18 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Choose a deluxe cabin for the full crew, which comes with either two queen beds or a queen bed and a pull-out sofa, sleeping up to four people.—
Jenny Willden,
Condé Nast Traveler,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Making sure your kids are tucked in and sleeping is one of the best feelings as a parent, even when things didn’t go right during the day.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
On top of that, one of Colvin’s classmates, Jeremiah Reeves, had recently been arrested for having intercourse with a white woman.—
Essence,
Essence,
15 Jan. 2026
-
British prosecutors said Johnston used threats and intimidation to force the woman into having intercourse with the men, per the outlet.—
Sean Neumann,
PEOPLE,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The nonprofit is urging both governments to ensure the mammals will not be used for breeding if they are transported to the United States.—
Michelle Del Rey,
USA Today,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Inside a lab in Redland, behind double doors that require a lab coat to enter, a team of scientists is breeding a tiny terror.—
Ashley Miznazi,
Miami Herald,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
In Khamenei’s worldview, normalizing relations with the United States has always been kryptonite, an existential threat to a regime whose identity was premised on resisting America.—
Karim Sadjadpour,
The Atlantic,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Aubuchon declined an interview with The Enquirer via media relations firm Strategic Advisers.—
Jolene Almendarez,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mating. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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