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
  • Create a Consistent Morning Routine Getting out the door with a preschooler (or two) in tow can feel like a marathon in the morning, but with a bit of structure and a lot of empathy, the transition can be seamless.
    — Parents, Parents, 22 July 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
  • This fall, Syracuse will debut its own content-creation minor — the first academic offering from its Center for the Creator Economy.
    — Avery Stone, HollywoodReporter, 23 July 2026
  • The goal now is to get the children into foster care and eventually adopted, said officials, who are classifying the eldest as a minor despite being 18 because of her limitations.
    — Chris Spargo, PEOPLE, 23 July 2026
Definition of minor
Noun
  • 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
  • But for children and adolescents whose bodies and skeletons are still growing, specialized pediatric orthopedic care is critical.
    — JP Shaffer, Miami Herald, 22 June 2026
Definition of adolescent
Noun
  • My new kindergartner especially is feeling all the big feels about school.
    — Melissa Willets, Parents, 6 July 2026
  • Recent amendments to be considered include assessing a kindergartner’s math knowledge rather than screening for math deficiencies, something that would help identify students who need additional support.
    — Cierra Morgan, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026
Definition of kindergartner
Noun
  • 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
  • As Prime Minister, Howard—a lifelong conservative who has lived abroad once, campaigning for the Tories in London—was known for having an almost schoolboy zeal for the job.
    — Oscar Schwartz, New Yorker, 29 June 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
  • On infant formula, Makary convened the world’s leading experts to modernize and expand the ingredient lists—called monographs—that the agency uses to regulate the products.
    — Avik Roy, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • One reason for the decrease may be that parents have substantial control over what infants and toddlers eat.
    — Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
Definition of infant
Noun
  • For years, the identity of the newborn was unknown, until genetic genealogy linked the child to Ritchey in 2019, leading to her arrest.
    — Alexandra Schonfeld, PEOPLE, 20 July 2026
  • Instead, starting later this year, the muscle-wasting disease will be added to the panel of diseases that all newborns are tested for, with complete coverage expected next year.
    — Andrew Joseph, STAT, 20 July 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 29 Jul. 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 inveigle

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Your vs. You're: How to Use Them Correctly
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
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
chain-question-mark
Missing Link Quiz July 2026 Five seconds to figure out the word that fits bot...
See All