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
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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
Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2025
Nashville Zoo has unlocked a successful mating rate by keeping cubs together at a young age, going from 20% to 40% to a 95% success rate as part of its effort to protect animal species.
—Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 3 Nov. 2025
To combat the spread of the flies, the USDA disperses sterile flies into the area to stop the mating, a scientific method known as sterile insect technique (SIT).
—Lori Ann Larocco, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2025
Since these ticks are parthenogenetic, meaning an individual female can lay eggs without mating, essentially cloning herself, male ticks are rare.
—Chad Murphy, Cincinnati Enquirer, 14 Oct. 2025
This pattern, called assortative mating, means that when parents with overlapping genetic risks have children, those risks can combine and accumulate.
—Santhosh Girirajan, The Conversation, 7 Oct. 2025
Females produce a pheromone which attracts clusters of males for mating.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 6 Oct. 2025
Males of the new species lack vocal sacs, an elastic skin pouch commonly used as amplifying chambers for mating calls, which may be a product of their environment, according to the study.
—Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2025
Female mammals live on average 12 percent longer than males, with mating strategies playing an important role.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 1 Oct. 2025
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
Some were actively reproducing, with females found carrying eggs and males observed successfully mating.
—James T. Stroud, The Conversation, 13 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
Fruit flies drown themselves in booze when deprived of mating opportunities.
—Big Think, 25 Sep. 2025
The video shows two male sharks mating with a female in quick succession, according to Storyful.
—Julia Gomez, USA Today, 23 Sep. 2025
The disease spreads in koala populations through reproduction and social behavior connected to mating.
—Amy Woodyatt, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2025
The colony quickly descended into indiscriminate violence, stopped mating, and died out.
—Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 7 Sep. 2025
Noun
Instead, the authors think the males may have mounted the females , who were lying on their sides, and pressed down on the females’ tails during mating, accidentally breaking the neural spines.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2025
Nashville Zoo has unlocked a successful mating rate by keeping cubs together at a young age, going from 20% to 40% to a 95% success rate as part of its effort to protect animal species.
—Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 3 Nov. 2025
To combat the spread of the flies, the USDA disperses sterile flies into the area to stop the mating, a scientific method known as sterile insect technique (SIT).
—Lori Ann Larocco, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2025
Since these ticks are parthenogenetic, meaning an individual female can lay eggs without mating, essentially cloning herself, male ticks are rare.
—Chad Murphy, Cincinnati Enquirer, 14 Oct. 2025
This pattern, called assortative mating, means that when parents with overlapping genetic risks have children, those risks can combine and accumulate.
—Santhosh Girirajan, The Conversation, 7 Oct. 2025
Females produce a pheromone which attracts clusters of males for mating.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 6 Oct. 2025
Males of the new species lack vocal sacs, an elastic skin pouch commonly used as amplifying chambers for mating calls, which may be a product of their environment, according to the study.
—Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2025
Female mammals live on average 12 percent longer than males, with mating strategies playing an important role.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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
Some were actively reproducing, with females found carrying eggs and males observed successfully mating.
—James T. Stroud, The Conversation, 13 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
Fruit flies drown themselves in booze when deprived of mating opportunities.
—Big Think, 25 Sep. 2025
The video shows two male sharks mating with a female in quick succession, according to Storyful.
—Julia Gomez, USA Today, 23 Sep. 2025
The disease spreads in koala populations through reproduction and social behavior connected to mating.
—Amy Woodyatt, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2025
The colony quickly descended into indiscriminate violence, stopped mating, and died out.
—Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 7 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mating
Noun
-
People of all sexes and gender identities have a role to play.—
Beth Ann Mayer,
Parents,
20 Oct. 2025
-
The World Ultimate Athletics Championships, which debut next September (as a finals-only global, international competition), are excluding men’s triple jump and women’s hammer throw, as well as shot put and discus for both sexes.—
Liam Tharme,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The campaign reprises and expands the concept of the collection’s look book images unveiled earlier this year, which saw Michele’s tribe pictured on a bed, mainly sleeping but also occasionally playing the guitar, doing a crossword puzzle, taking selfies or having a snack.—
Sandra Salibian,
Footwear News,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Despite vacationing on a luxury yacht, Bronwyn spent the night sleeping on a pool chair on the deck rather than spending the night having to share a bed with Britani.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Between 13 to 84% of postmenopausal women experience vaginal pain during intercourse, with pelvic floor tension being one of the many reasons behind the discomfort.—
Jocelyn Solis-Moreira,
Flow Space,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Others debated whether the ban should extend to pastors who molested 16- and 17-year-olds without having intercourse.—
Mike Hixenbaugh,
NBC news,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Schwanz pointed out how the work goes back to breeding resilience—not just breeding crops that can do more with less or maximizing yield—but true resilience for everyone.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Alpha Genesis’s red-meat pivot is emblematic of the desperate position in which the primate-breeding industry now finds itself.—
Ava Kofman,
New Yorker,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The most recent border flare-up came after five Thai soldiers were injured in a landmine explosion, with the incident prompting Thailand to downgrade diplomatic relations with its neighbor.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
11 Nov. 2025
-
Venezuela is strengthening its relations with all countries of the world and asks only for its independence and sovereignty.—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mating. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
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