mother 1 of 3

as in mom
a female human parent he dreaded telling his mother that her favorite figurine had gotten broken

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mother

2 of 3

adjective

as in maternal
of, relating to, or characteristic of a mother she often offered to babysit for friends, hoping to satisfy her mother urges until she had children of her own

Synonyms & Similar Words

mother

3 of 3

verb

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 mother
Noun
And those who have experienced the death of a family member might recognize the Fisher boys’ misdirected grief after losing their mother to breast cancer. Greta Rainbow, The Atlantic, 10 Sep. 2025 The athletes’ mothers, Maribel Munoz and Hanan Hazameh, are also named plaintiffs. Dakin Andone, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
Dana is really mothering to her fullest at the top of the hour. Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2025 Beginning with Ethel Cain, mothers will be mothering all throughout the year. James Factora, Them, 16 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for mother
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mother
Noun
  • Her mom was registered in a kennel, but father apparently not (that's most likely the reason).
    Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Then, her mom's arthritis flared up.
    Bailey Schulz, USA Today, 8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Combs said that her maternal instincts immediately kicked in.
    Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025
  • The film reunites Yoon with Chang Hyae-jin, who has appeared in all three of her features playing maternal roles.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Kaivan Shroff, a 2024 delegate for Harris, said the former vice president has the right to tell the story of her campaign, as does Biden, who has conducted a few interviews and speeches since leaving office.
    Mabinty Quarshie, The Washington Examiner, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Kirk, a prominent voice in culture wars on college campuses, hosts a daily radio show and podcast, The Charlie Kirk Show, which ranks among the top 10 on Apple News’ list of top podcasts and has a strong Gen Z fan base.
    Zachary Folk, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • But Waller has been nursing a hip injury since joining the team, and didn’t participate in a single training camp practice.
    Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 4 Sep. 2025
  • In the accompanying image, Baz is lying on her side, nursing her son in a low cut bra while holding a bottle in her free hand.
    Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 3 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • In the last four drives of the game, the Bengals ran 12 plays, went three-and-out every time and produced minus-23 yards.
    Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
  • To qualify for a portion of the county arts funding, organizations must be active 501(c)3 entities, located and operating in Milwaukee County, organized for the primary purpose of producing or presenting the arts, and open to the general public, according to the county's application terms.
    Claudia Levens, jsonline.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Sidefeel Corduroy Wide-leg Pants Corduroy is the epitome of fall fashion, and these flare pants deliver all the cozy, retro vibes without sacrificing comfort.
    Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Under orders from General Erinmore (Colin Firth), the pair must traverse enemy lines to deliver a life-or-death message to Colonel Mackenzie (Benedict Cumberbatch), halting an attack that would endanger more than 1,000 men.
    Emy LaCroix, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • An 11-pound bundle of pygmy hippo joy was birthed at the John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids this week.
    Natalie Davies, Freep.com, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Climatologists continue to study the role global warming plays in heating the oceans and birthing hurricanes, and while there is no consensus yet on whether this will lead to more frequent storms, it is generally agreed that the ones that do form will be more powerful.
    Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 5 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Mother.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mother. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.

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