pregnancy

noun

ˈpreg-nən(t)-sē How to pronounce pregnancy (audio)
Definition of pregnancynext
as in gestation
the state of containing unborn young within the body an elephant's pregnancy can last almost two years

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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 pregnancy The crucible of childbirth is often spoken of as transformative, the self-sacrifice of pregnancy as part of becoming a parent. — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 7 Aug. 2026 The gallery preceding Raphael’s serene Madonnas laid bare the dangers of pregnancy and childbirth in fifteenth-century Europe. — Carmen Rosenberg-Miller, Artforum, 6 Aug. 2026 Her mother says Rojas Ortiz has a high-risk pregnancy and has not been seen by medical staff at Dilley. — Laura Romero, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026 An upbeat news report explains that rates of teen pregnancy are down, which is a very 1980s justification. — Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pregnancy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pregnancy
gestation
Noun
  • For well over a century now, families have sported rows of rictus grins for the camera, but the subgenre of family portraiture (and, later, video clips) dedicated to conception, gestation, and birth is very much a product of the social media age.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Since he was born at just 21 weeks gestation, baby Nash had to spend 189 days in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital.
    — Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 30 July 2026
Definition of gestation

Browse Nearby Words

prefiguring
pregnancy
pregnant
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Cite this Entry

“Pregnancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pregnancy. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on pregnancy

Nglish: Translation of pregnancy for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pregnancy

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