as in to nurse
to give milk to from the breast
the image of a mother suckling her babe is a standard artistic symbol of maternal love and nurturing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 suckle
The other two are named Romulus and Remus, after the mythical founders of Rome said to have been suckled by a she-wolf as infants.
—
Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2025
What are the neurons that make muscles ache and fatigue, or trigger migraines, or cause milk to flow in a mother’s breast when her baby suckles?
—Ariel Bleicher, Quanta Magazine, 16 Apr. 2025
The older pair are named Romulus and Remus after the mythological founders of Rome, who are traditionally depicted as being suckled by a she-wolf.
—Jon Schlosberg, ABC News, 7 Apr. 2025
Avoiding them is all but impossible in a world where water supplies are tainted and babies suckle on plastic bottles from their earliest days on earth.
—Jamie Ducharme, TIME, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for suckle
Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2025
What are the neurons that make muscles ache and fatigue, or trigger migraines, or cause milk to flow in a mother’s breast when her baby suckles?
—Ariel Bleicher, Quanta Magazine, 16 Apr. 2025
The older pair are named Romulus and Remus after the mythological founders of Rome, who are traditionally depicted as being suckled by a she-wolf.
—Jon Schlosberg, ABC News, 7 Apr. 2025
Avoiding them is all but impossible in a world where water supplies are tainted and babies suckle on plastic bottles from their earliest days on earth.
—Jamie Ducharme, TIME, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for suckle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suckle
Verb
-
This is a fast-track nursing degree program for individuals who hold a bachelor’s degree in a field other than nursing.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Women dominate among American stars, including alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin, snowboarder Chloe Kim and downhill skier Lindsay Vonn, making a comeback at 41 and nursing a knee injury but still hopeful to compete.—
Greg Cote
February 1,
Miami Herald,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should not take hawthorn berry supplements.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should not take maqui berry supplements.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Suckle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suckle. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
