rug rat

noun

Definition of rug ratnext
slang
as in preschooler

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

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 rug rat In a bid to increase his nation’s number of rug rats, Władysław Grochowski, owner of one of Poland’s biggest hotel chains, has pledged to throw a party for every couple who conceives while staying at his properties. — Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 4 Oct. 2025 Your standard maternal protagonist is not dropping a trail of pacifiers behind her, swilling goblets of red wine the minute her rug rats are in bed, and secretly vaping in the linen closet? — Chloe Schama, Vogue, 14 May 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rug rat
  1. preschooler
  2. minor
  3. adolescent
  4. kindergartner
  5. schoolboy
  6. schoolchild
  7. infant
  8. newborn
Noun
  • Encourage your preschooler to be more mindful by teaching them kid-friendly meditation techniques, including deep breathing exercises, mindfulness activities, and even guided sleep meditations.
    — Heather Gowen Walsh, Parents, 13 Aug. 2026
  • For a preschooler, the cost was $1,121 at a home and $1,271 at a center.
    — Kate Sequeira, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
Definition of preschooler
Noun
  • The question was whether asking a minor to pose nude without parental knowledge or consent violated the city’s ethical standards.
    — Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Police said three minors chased another minor into Uptown Beer Garden and began punching and kicking him.
    — Tom Ignudo, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of minor
Noun
  • One adolescent possibly had contact with the bat, officials said.
    — Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 3 Aug. 2026
  • YouTube comedian Bo Burnham directs this empathetic portrait of Kayla (Elsie Fisher), an insecure adolescent who posts motivational vlogs on YouTube while privately struggling with her self-image and burgeoning sexuality.
    — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 15 July 2026
Definition of adolescent
Noun
  • Justin Vu, a soon-to-be kindergartener, his mom and sisters had traveled from their home in Denver and were enjoying a visit with family filled with trips to places like the beach and zoo, KGW News reported.
    — Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 31 July 2026
  • My new kindergartner especially is feeling all the big feels about school.
    — Melissa Willets, Parents, 6 July 2026
Definition of kindergartner
Noun
  • With the sprightly energy of a schoolboy, Jean-Paul Doron bounds into an empty creek, his red suede shoes scraping pale rocks.
    — Dominique Soguel, Christian Science Monitor, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Khaite and Dior turn tailored trousers into schoolboy bermudas while Maria McManus and Isabel Marant make pedal-pushing leggings look cooler than ever.
    — Rosie Jarman, Vogue, 10 July 2026
Definition of schoolboy
Noun
  • Would that every schoolchild could stand on the grassy knoll for a quiet minute, pondering the imponderables.
    — Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 26 May 2026
  • Provincial transport department official Siboniso Duma said in a statement that 11 people, including a schoolchild, died at the scene, although that was according to preliminary information.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 30 Jan. 2026
Definition of schoolchild
Noun
  • Williams also was a suspect in the 2005 death of his infant daughter in Alaska but charges were not filed until 2022.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The mother may also have auditory or visual hallucinations that drive her to harm herself or the infant.
    — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of infant
Noun
  • Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office intervened and raised concerns about the newborn’s need for lifesaving medical treatment after birth.
    — Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Authorities told the news outlet that Brown was a family friend to the newborn's family and took the child when his mother fell asleep.
    — Dan Raby, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of newborn

Browse Nearby Words

ruggedness
rug rat
rug rats
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rug rat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rug%20rat. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of balmy

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Is “GIF” Pronounced “Jiff” or “Giff”?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All