Definition of motherlandnext
1
as in birthplace
a place of origin for many oenophiles, France remains the motherland of fine wines

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2
as in home
the land of one's birth, residence, or citizenship all his life he longed to return to his motherland

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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 motherland In China, many laud Gu for identifying herself as Chinese and competing for the honor of the motherland. ABC News, 10 Mar. 2026 This isn’t the first time that food from the motherland has had me in a chokehold. Andre James, Charlotte Observer, 25 Feb. 2026 In one, second-generation immigrant Gloria (Katy Correa) returns to her father’s home village in rural Guinea-Bissau for a traditional memorial ritual to mark the old man’s recent passing, and to introduce her twentysomething daughter Nour (D’Johé Kouadio) to her ancestral motherland. Guy Lodge, Variety, 14 Feb. 2026 Doja Cat‘s South African homecoming may have been brought to a halt when Hey Neighbour festival canceled its 2025 staging, but the Grammy winner will finally get to visit her motherland this spring. Kyle Denis, Billboard, 13 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for motherland
Recent Examples of Synonyms for motherland
Noun
  • The film stars revered Indian thespian Naseeruddin Shah as Rashid Ali, a Punjabi Muslim man whose family left before Partition and who returns to his birthplace after a lifetime in England.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 9 Aug. 2026
  • The agreement was signed in Mecca, Islam’s holiest city and the birthplace of the Prophet Mohammed, imbuing it with political and religious symbolism.
    Sophia Saifi, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Defense attorneys for the Massachusetts labor and delivery nurse do not deny that Clancy strangled her three children — Cora, 5; Dawson, 3; and Callan, 8 months — before jumping from a second-story window of her suburban home in 2023.
    Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Roads, bridges, homes, offices and countless other structures depend on it.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 13 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • The duo — pals from boarding school and later Harvard — wanted to write a movie about Bourdain, but didn’t want a cradle to grave story.
    Aaron Couch, HollywoodReporter, 10 Aug. 2026
  • That motor sits on a double cradle matrix frame made from tubular steel.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 8 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Addressing thousands of officials and delegates at the Great Hall of the People, Xi portrayed China as a country that was facing tough times, but one that would emerge unscathed.
    Sylvie Zhuang, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
  • However, no other peer country separates the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine as the president has now ordered.
    Amanda Seitz, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • The Swedish pop icon returned to her homeland for the Way Out West music festival in Gothenburg and paid homage to Scandinavia and the northern lights with her signature colorful, glittering makeup, crafted by makeup artist Sophia Sinot.
    Kara Nesvig, Allure, 14 Aug. 2026
  • There was more work to be done—not only to rebuild our homeland, but to preserve the stories that give it meaning.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Motherland.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/motherland. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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