MOTHERING Synonyms: 75 Similar and Opposite Words

mothering 1 of 2

noun

as in motherhood

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mothering

2 of 2

verb

present participle of mother

as in having

to bring forth from the womb I hope to mother at least one child

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in nursing

to attend to the needs and comforts of mothered the patients with chicken soup

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 mothering

Noun

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 Yet the history of motherhood has remained largely untold, and the narrative is not often driven by the people who do the actual mothering. — Holly Corbett, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026 Each statue the perfect epitome of silent, mothering, virginal womanhood that Ireland had come to worship. — Literary Hub, 8 May 2026 Suzanne O’Donnell, an accomplished regional theater actor with a lot of Shakespeare on her resume, plays Penrose as both a warm mothering figure to these two occasionally babyish men but does not downplay the character’s pragmatic side. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 21 Apr. 2026 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 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

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

In an effort to overcome grief and find herself again, Hollis gets the idea to host a weekend away at her house on Nantucket with three friends from different stages in her life—childhood, college, motherhood—and one surprise guest.

— Katie Campione, Deadline, 17 July 2026
Katia Lindor is speaking out about her experiences with motherhood with the intent of helping others.

— Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 17 July 2026

Definition of motherhood

Verb

Many students today recall the pandemic as a time filled by moments at home with family, going to school in their pajamas or having a break from some of the social pressures of school.

— Stacey Gillett, Chicago Tribune, 17 July 2026
Nor to the notion of having a road named after him a century later.

— Catherine Dunwoody, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026

Definition of having

Verb

The teen has only one goal while putting 10 shots on target after coming into this World Cup still nursing a left hamstring issue.

— ABC News, ABC News, 13 July 2026
Upon coming to America, Shirley taught herself English and began nursing school before starting out in Michigan.

— Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 8 July 2026

Definition of nursing

Noun

Her maternity style became part of the conversation, celebrating rather than hiding her changing body.

— Alex Badia, Footwear News, 21 July 2026
According to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, investigators reviewed social media accounts, a website and a billboard in Latin America that advertised maternity packages at South Texas hospitals to foreign nationals.

— Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 July 2026

Definition of maternity

Verb

With the aim of producing an addition 200,000 degrees beyond the 1 million already projected for 2030, the university set goals to improve its graduation rates.

— Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 22 July 2026
Animal viruses jump to humans in the wild hundreds of thousands of times a year, usually producing negligible infections, occasionally sparking an outbreak.

— CNN Money, CNN Money, 22 July 2026

Definition of producing

Verb

Andrade, who is currently studying sociology at the University of California, Berkeley, believes that the experience of playing soccer was fundamental in healing the trauma of the immigration arrest.

— Albinson Linares, NBC news, 18 July 2026
The Forest Service turned to the tribe for help healing the land.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2026

Definition of healing

Verb

Here’s what’s at stake Britain’s new finance minister faces a delicate balancing act between delivering Burnham’s potentially more left-leaning agenda and calming financial markets.

— Ian King, CNBC, 22 July 2026
The goal is not adding more complexity to partner management, but removing unnecessary obstacles that distract from delivering customer value.

— Curtis Brinkerhoff, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026