as in protective
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Recent Examples of parental
This would allow social media companies to collect children’s data without parental consent—but solely for age verification purposes.
—
Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 2 Mar. 2026
Digging into the psychology behind Julian’s father-son loyalty, and the seductive pull of parental approval, Ritter (who is the child of late sitcom actor Jon Ritter) opened up about playing characters capable of both empathy and wrongdoing in the face of grief.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 27 Feb. 2026
Hatch has also faced criticism from some child welfare advocates, who say the Department of Children and Families has been too hasty to remove medically vulnerable children from their parents and to cut off parental rights.
—Lawrence Mower, Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 2026
That sense of both protectiveness and distancing will be familiar to most readers who have been sixteen; the difference, though, is that the parental figure that provoked these conflicting impulses was almost certainly not the founder of a fascist organization.
—Literary Hub, 27 Feb. 2026
The parental supervision feature comes as the social media company faces allegations that the design and functionality of apps like Instagram foster detrimental effects on the mental health of young users.
—Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 26 Feb. 2026
How the New Alerts Work Starting next week, parents and teens enrolled in Instagram’s parental supervision program will receive a message explaining how the feature works.
—Sarah Scott, Parents, 26 Feb. 2026
Instagram said the company is also working to introduce similar parental notifications for teens' conversations with its AI service and aims to launch those notifications later this year.
—Yi-Jin Yu, ABC News, 26 Feb. 2026
In Nostalgic, Stroup dives into his experience being a ’90s kid in rural Alabama and everything that came along with it, from partying with friends to board games and parental relationships.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 25 Feb. 2026
Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 2 Mar. 2026
Digging into the psychology behind Julian’s father-son loyalty, and the seductive pull of parental approval, Ritter (who is the child of late sitcom actor Jon Ritter) opened up about playing characters capable of both empathy and wrongdoing in the face of grief.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 27 Feb. 2026
Hatch has also faced criticism from some child welfare advocates, who say the Department of Children and Families has been too hasty to remove medically vulnerable children from their parents and to cut off parental rights.
—Lawrence Mower, Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 2026
That sense of both protectiveness and distancing will be familiar to most readers who have been sixteen; the difference, though, is that the parental figure that provoked these conflicting impulses was almost certainly not the founder of a fascist organization.
—Literary Hub, 27 Feb. 2026
The parental supervision feature comes as the social media company faces allegations that the design and functionality of apps like Instagram foster detrimental effects on the mental health of young users.
—Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 26 Feb. 2026
How the New Alerts Work Starting next week, parents and teens enrolled in Instagram’s parental supervision program will receive a message explaining how the feature works.
—Sarah Scott, Parents, 26 Feb. 2026
Instagram said the company is also working to introduce similar parental notifications for teens' conversations with its AI service and aims to launch those notifications later this year.
—Yi-Jin Yu, ABC News, 26 Feb. 2026
In Nostalgic, Stroup dives into his experience being a ’90s kid in rural Alabama and everything that came along with it, from partying with friends to board games and parental relationships.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 25 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for parental
Adjective
-
Vinegar can damage some finishes and the protective coating on some wood cabinets may have degraded over time.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
25 Feb. 2026
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Dermatologists created this moisturizing lotion, which moistens your tattoo and creates a protective skin barrier.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
That money narrows the massive fundraising and supportive expenditure lead Miller had, potentially forcing her and her allies to pivot from introducing her candidacy to countering Jackson.—
Jake Sheridan,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Mar. 2026
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The chair backs are ergonomically molded with supportive armrests, and each one can be stacked for easy storage.—
Shea Simmons,
Southern Living,
1 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Take the show’s unflinching portrayal of Black maternal mortality, one of America’s most shameful healthcare crises.—
Robert Raben,
Fortune,
26 Feb. 2026
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Some other hospitals, meanwhile, have moved to have more midwives on staff, which research has shown is associated with lower preterm birth rates and fewer maternal deaths.—
Aria Bendix,
NBC news,
26 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
This woman can be kind, generous and caring but rarely, and there’s little joy in any of our relations with her.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Denver Post,
25 Feb. 2026
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How could a mostly decent, caring, tolerant people elect someone so unlike ourselves — twice?—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
21 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Parental.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/parental. Accessed 3 Mar. 2026.
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