as in motherhood
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1
as in having
to bring forth from the womb
I hope to mother at least one child
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in nursing
to attend to the needs and comforts of
mothered the patients with chicken soup
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of mothering
Jean Garnett, New Yorker, 18 Apr. 2026
In response to the mothering of a sister, a brother has options—resist, lash out, put up with it, become utterly dependent on it.
—Christine Smallwood, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
Around the eleventh century, in Anglo‑Saxon England, instructions for an elaborate childbearing and mothering ritual were recorded by monks in the Lacnunga, a collection of medical texts and curative prayers.
—Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026
Kate had changed her hair into a stylish bob — but apparently hadn’t updated her mothering skills — two years later when, in the sequel, Kevin again was discovered missing, at the Miami airport.
—Jocelyn Noveck, Mercury News, 5 Feb. 2026
Born in Switzerland in 1924, Yo lived life on her own terms, defying expectations around sexuality, mothering, aging, and even death.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 20 Jan. 2026
But still, Fernandez’s mothering instinct told her something was very wrong.
—Luis Pascal, Miami Herald, 28 Nov. 2025
Over half of my years of mothering have been as a single mom.
—Stephanie Land, Time, 30 Oct. 2025
Or the crib with a dip alongside its edge, which Roe incorporated based on memories of leaning over the side of the crib in the early days of mothering.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 21 Oct. 2025
Edward Segarra, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
Key strands of the film are about mothering with laser focus on the parents played by Okonedo and Mallen.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 13 Feb. 2026
Really, the album is about tiring of mothering men who are great in bed but lack crucial social skills.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2025
And as the following selections from the archives of The Christian Science Publishing Society show, prayer can bring out more of how God is mothering, comforting, and preserving us right here and now.
—The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 8 May 2025
Noun
For almost a century, since the dawn of mass screen entertainment, society has passed through waves of panic over media’s effects on children, which have often coincided with panics over the effects of various kinds of mothering.
—Jean Garnett, New Yorker, 18 Apr. 2026
In response to the mothering of a sister, a brother has options—resist, lash out, put up with it, become utterly dependent on it.
—Christine Smallwood, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
Around the eleventh century, in Anglo‑Saxon England, instructions for an elaborate childbearing and mothering ritual were recorded by monks in the Lacnunga, a collection of medical texts and curative prayers.
—Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026
Kate had changed her hair into a stylish bob — but apparently hadn’t updated her mothering skills — two years later when, in the sequel, Kevin again was discovered missing, at the Miami airport.
—Jocelyn Noveck, Mercury News, 5 Feb. 2026
Born in Switzerland in 1924, Yo lived life on her own terms, defying expectations around sexuality, mothering, aging, and even death.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 20 Jan. 2026
But still, Fernandez’s mothering instinct told her something was very wrong.
—Luis Pascal, Miami Herald, 28 Nov. 2025
Over half of my years of mothering have been as a single mom.
—Stephanie Land, Time, 30 Oct. 2025
Or the crib with a dip alongside its edge, which Roe incorporated based on memories of leaning over the side of the crib in the early days of mothering.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 21 Oct. 2025
Verb
Somehow mothering four children, leading a massive pop resurgence, and still making time for a fun night with her girlfriends for a glass of wine (or seven).
—Edward Segarra, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
Key strands of the film are about mothering with laser focus on the parents played by Okonedo and Mallen.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 13 Feb. 2026
Really, the album is about tiring of mothering men who are great in bed but lack crucial social skills.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2025
And as the following selections from the archives of The Christian Science Publishing Society show, prayer can bring out more of how God is mothering, comforting, and preserving us right here and now.
—The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 8 May 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mothering
Noun
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As a first-time parent, Hayley Erbert is candidly opening up about the complexities of motherhood.—
Chanel Vargas,
InStyle,
11 Apr. 2026
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Online and offline, motherhood has started to resemble a real-life Truman Show — a performance carried out under constant observation, where strangers across the country appoint themselves judge and jury.—
Micah Barkley,
Bloomberg,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The other soldier is accused of having contact with a foreign agent, transmitting information to the enemy and other offenses, according to the indictment.—
Sean Nevin,
NBC news,
24 Apr. 2026
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John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan know that having two solid contributors on cheap deals is vastly superior to having one overpriced guy who is statistically no better than the field.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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James, however, re-entered the Lakers’ lineup after sitting out Tuesday night’s blowout loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder while nursing his left foot to remain fresh himself.—
Benjamin Royer,
Oc Register,
10 Apr. 2026
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He was loaded onto a truck and transported to SeaWorld Orlando, where staff would spend the next two months nursing him back to health.—
Ryan Brennan
April 9,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Employers are now also obliged to provide maternity, paternity and paid sick leave from the moment an employee joins.—
Ian King,
CNBC,
8 Apr. 2026
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To survive, hospitals have cut expensive services like maternity care, pediatric critical care and chemotherapy.—
Lisa Jarvis,
Twin Cities,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Over the past two seasons, Murdock combined for 298 tackles, almost 50 more than anyone else in the FBS, while producing 30 tackles for loss and seven sacks.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 Apr. 2026
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Green cabbage tends to be more common for fermenting, a process by which microorganisms (bacteria, yeast, or fungi) break down sugars and starches in food, producing acids, gases, or alcohol as byproducts.—
Lauren Panoff,
Verywell Health,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In Cavarocchi’s practice, womanhood is seen as a manifestation of nature, with landscapes playing a role in healing trauma and reflecting cyclical rhythms of regeneration.—
PhotoVogue,
Vogue,
21 Apr. 2026
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Sometimes the most healing stories are the ones that begin with heartbreak.—
Ryan Brennan,
Miami Herald,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Despite Pistons superstar Cade Cunningham delivering a brilliant performance with a playoff career-high 39 points.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
20 Apr. 2026
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Chloe Kelly Almost exclusively used as a super-sub but Kelly’s track record of delivering huge moments makes her one of England’s key players.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Or John Hurt, convulsively chest-birthing an alien?—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Apr. 2026
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Either that, or these brown dwarfs will collide and merge, birthing an entirely new star with enough mass to trigger nuclear fusion.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
23 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mothering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mothering. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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