1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

motherhood

noun

Definition of motherhoodnext
as in mothering

Related Words

Relevance

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 motherhood From puberty and first heartbreak to career pivots and, for some, motherhood, women are thrown into an endless evolution of identity that comes with simply being alive. — Partner Content, Variety, 23 Sep. 2026 And, though the experience of severe mental illness and motherhood remain almost invisible in popular discussion, more than 100,000 women with severe mental illnesses have children every year in the United States. — Meg Leduc, STAT, 23 Sep. 2026 The case sparked a nationwide discussion about motherhood and feminism throughout the summer. — Carter Schroppe, The Washington Examiner, 21 Sep. 2026 Roberts has spoken out about the good things that have come to her through motherhood, too. — Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Sep. 2026 Brown has spoken publicly about her experience of motherhood and her adoption journey. — Amarachi Orie, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2026 Dunham detailed her journey to motherhood, from the embryo transfer, which happened in November, and her relationship with her surrogate. — Angeline Jane Bernabe, ABC News, 17 Sep. 2026 In a November 2025 interview with British Vogue, the actress opened up about motherhood. — Juliana Ukiomogbe, InStyle, 17 Sep. 2026 In December 2014, Miller opened up about motherhood to Vogue. — Kelsie Gibson, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for motherhood
  1. mothering
  2. maternity
  3. fatherhood
  4. paternity
Noun
  • The cultural ascendance of intensive mothering, in which mothers are deemed entirely responsible for their children’s well-being and success, has upped the ante.
    — Marianne Cooper, Time, 5 Aug. 2026
  • To make their point perfectly clear, women are sharing photos of themselves breastfeeding in front of Old Masters paintings in museums that depict the very same mothering act.
    — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 6 July 2026
Definition of mothering
Noun
  • As a result, the process was carried out on a maternity database instead of the radiotherapy database, causing the maternity records database to be overwritten.
    — Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Anne Hathaway brought an all-black maternity look contrasted by a subtle crystal detail to New York City on Thursday with a pair of Roger Vivier mules.
    — Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of maternity
Noun
  • In three years, Whitley’s job transformed from obstructing his fatherhood to enhancing it.
    — Jack Leo, AJC.com, 22 Sep. 2026
  • In August, while speaking to PEOPLE about his new Netflix movie The Whisper Man, De Niro opened up about balancing a busy career with fatherhood.
    — Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of fatherhood
Noun
  • Using those genetic comparisons, researchers modeled competing paternity scenarios involving Jefferson, plus his brother Randolph and Randolph's sons.
    — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 24 Sep. 2026
  • The President’s genes were then compared with those of dozens of putative descendants, revealing so much overlap that his paternity of Hemings’s children is virtually certain.
    — Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of paternity

Browse Nearby Words

mothered
motherhood
motherhoods
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Motherhood.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/motherhood. Accessed 29 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of argot

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of the words cracker fly and sale arranged in a triangle with the word fire in the middle
Triple Play Quiz Find the word that pairs with each of the three g...
See All