as in mothers
a person who brings forth and raises a child
The couple recently became parents for the first time. She grew up in a single parent household.
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as in raises
to bring forth and raise to maturity through care and education
They expertly parent their second child using all the lessons learned from raising their first.
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Recent Examples of parents
Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 18 Feb. 2026
But the benefits of preschool are well-documented, both developmentally for children and economically for working parents.
—Calmatters, Oc Register, 18 Feb. 2026
Authorities said the shooter critically wounded Rhonda Dorgan’s parents and a family friend.
—N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 18 Feb. 2026
Talia’s parents have since taken custody of Levi.
—Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Feb. 2026
A lot of parents worry about their kids and the internet.
—Sam Bowman, Washington Post, 17 Feb. 2026
Another internal document Lanier showed from YouTube suggested that the video streaming platform be used as a short-term digital babysitter while parents cook, clean or do laundry.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2026
Between Kevin traveling for work and the parents giving attention to raising four kids, the help is needed.
—Anna Halkidis, Parents, 10 Feb. 2026
But Vernon, a documentarian and a longtime friend of Nico’s parents, is not drawn as a satirical figure; rather, we are intended to see him as bombastic but appealing—warm, gregarious, freethinking, and probably correct in his concern about Western decline.
—Adelle Waldman, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026
Greg Cote
january 5, Miami Herald, 5 Jan. 2026
Waukesha School District parents Joe Burke and Sean Shurbet have questioned the district's enrollment data, saying the City of Waukesha's data shows current and projected growth that contradicts district data.
—Alec Johnson, jsonline.com, 15 Aug. 2025
That seems like an eternity ago to Cane babies born that year and perhaps now parents themselves.
—Greg Cote Miami Herald, Arkansas Online, 26 Apr. 2025
Noun
In the courtroom will be parents and families from across the US who say their children were harmed — or even died — as a result of social media.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 18 Feb. 2026
But the benefits of preschool are well-documented, both developmentally for children and economically for working parents.
—Calmatters, Oc Register, 18 Feb. 2026
Authorities said the shooter critically wounded Rhonda Dorgan’s parents and a family friend.
—N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 18 Feb. 2026
Talia’s parents have since taken custody of Levi.
—Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Feb. 2026
A lot of parents worry about their kids and the internet.
—Sam Bowman, Washington Post, 17 Feb. 2026
Another internal document Lanier showed from YouTube suggested that the video streaming platform be used as a short-term digital babysitter while parents cook, clean or do laundry.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2026
Between Kevin traveling for work and the parents giving attention to raising four kids, the help is needed.
—Anna Halkidis, Parents, 10 Feb. 2026
But Vernon, a documentarian and a longtime friend of Nico’s parents, is not drawn as a satirical figure; rather, we are intended to see him as bombastic but appealing—warm, gregarious, freethinking, and probably correct in his concern about Western decline.
—Adelle Waldman, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026
Verb
That seems like an eternity ago to Cane babies born that year and perhaps now parents themselves.
—Greg Cote
january 5, Miami Herald, 5 Jan. 2026
Waukesha School District parents Joe Burke and Sean Shurbet have questioned the district's enrollment data, saying the City of Waukesha's data shows current and projected growth that contradicts district data.
—Alec Johnson, jsonline.com, 15 Aug. 2025
That seems like an eternity ago to Cane babies born that year and perhaps now parents themselves.
—Greg Cote Miami Herald, Arkansas Online, 26 Apr. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for parents
Noun
-
There are actually multiple mentions of mothers this week.—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
16 Feb. 2026
-
And their mothers lived to be 96, 90, and 84.—
Lesley Stahl,
CBS News,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
As more than 10 nations in Europe are participating in the F-35 program, this raises concerns related to Trump’s tariff-heavy diplomacy.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Feb. 2026
-
The increasing integration of blockchain and the finance industry raises uncomfortable questions of whether crypto is betraying its founding ideals, which saw Bitcoin as a rebellion against the big bank and government control of the financial system.—
Leo Schwartz,
Fortune,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
But many moms have found that their hair grows back fuller and healthier in just a few months using Mielle Organics Strengthening Shampoo.—
Claire West,
Parents,
14 Feb. 2026
-
The streets surrounding 1641 and 1650 Ocean Avenue are mostly quiet except for moms pushing strollers.—
Daniel Yadin,
Curbed,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The Group nurtures a culture built on empowerment, agility, and continuous learning.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
9 Feb. 2026
-
The novel nurtures curiosity and empathy.—
Azar Nafisi,
Time,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Her father — struggling with poverty and the grief over his wife's death — wants to shoot it, but Jessica secretly nurses the animal back to health, bringing her closer to her father in the process.—
Domenica Bongiovanni,
IndyStar,
25 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The nonprofit Sustainable Ramona fosters sustainability in Ramona via education, partnerships, projects and promotions.—
Julie Gallant,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Success will be recruiting top-quality staff and counsel, and building an office culture that is ethical and fosters pride in work.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Parents.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/parents. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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