parental

adjective

Definition of parentalnext
as in protective

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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 parental In Flanagan‘s take, Margaret is fiercely committed to shielding Carrie from the world’s dangers and from her classmates’ cruelty, even becoming a parental advocate in their community and on social media. — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 11 Oct. 2026 In Zambia, Inonge Wina Chinyama, director at MSI Zambia, said uncertainty over parental consent rules can create an additional obstacle. — ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026 Rather than treating parental love as an uncomplicated defense, Nathan Elston’s screenplay allows Ursula to acknowledge a more shameful truth. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 9 Oct. 2026 Neither case proves that parental rejection is fundamentally a desire for control. — Literary Hub, 9 Oct. 2026 Other studies found that multiple parental deployments and longer parental separations affected children negatively. — Nikki R Wooten, The Conversation, 9 Oct. 2026 For kids under 1-year-old, most families want longer parental leave to care for their own babies. — Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 8 Oct. 2026 Mungiu craftily plants the seed of this crisis in his opening shot, set in the aftermath of a stinging act of parental discipline. — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 8 Oct. 2026 The boys’ mother later lost parental rights, the family said. — Laura Rodríguez Presa, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for parental
  1. protective
  2. supportive
  3. maternal
  4. caring
Adjective
  • Together, these threats underscore the need for ongoing protective measures.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Some believed that phallic icons served as protective amulets against infertility and evil spirits, thus leading to their incorporation in performances, art, and architecture.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of protective
Adjective
  • But the study also found that fewer than half of employees agreed that their organizations encouraged transparent communication or invested in developing fair and supportive managers.
    — Michael Corvini, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Wireless, supportive, and simple to store, this is the purchase your home’s been missing all along.
    — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of supportive
Adjective
  • Her confessions look like maternal desperation rather than the truth.
    — Kayti Burt, Time, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The small, troubled Trask family represents isolation, generational trauma and dysfunctional cycles in contrast to the large, loving and morally grounded Hamilton family, who are modeled after Steinbeck’s own maternal ancestors.
    — Senior Television, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of maternal
Adjective
  • With women like Hilde Fränkel and Anne Mendelsohn Weil, Arendt’s friendships reached for a more private and intimate insistence on caring support.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Most importantly, caring leaders take a genuine interest in employees as people, not merely as producers of results.
    — Michael Corvini, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of caring

Browse Nearby Words

parentages
parental
parented
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Parental.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/parental. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

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