suckling 1 of 2

noun

Definition of sucklingnext
as in infant

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suckling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of suckle
as in nursing
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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 suckling
Noun
Seafood is the underrated star here—from sautéed squid to amêijoas à bulhão pato—but be sure to try the Segovian suckling pig or the 50‑day aged Mirandesa‑style ribeye, priced by weight. — Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026 In Spain, the family of King Felipe and Queen Letizia are thought to indulge in a spread including cochinillo (roasted suckling pig), roast lamb, seafood and turrón, a traditional Spanish nougat confection which includes almonds, egg whites, honey and sugar. — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 22 Dec. 2025
Verb
The pups have the epicurean delight of suckling one of the highest fat-content milks in the animal kingdom. — John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 24 Nov. 2025 Those people under him are suckling on his piggly-wiggly titties. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 10 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for suckling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suckling
  1. infant
  2. nursing
  3. newborn
  4. foundling
  5. neonate
  6. cherub
Noun
  • Perreault-Magny, a father of a toddler, said he's seen mothers carrying infants through the woods, their feet wrapped in aluminum foil to stave off the winter's cold.
    — Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 29 July 2026
  • The only product legally required by the federal government to have an expiration date is infant formula.
    — Olga R. Rodriguez, Fortune, 29 July 2026
Definition of infant
Verb
  • More scientifically referred to as retrograde duct flow, this is the mechanism by which breastfeeding babies shoot spit into the nipple of whomever is nursing them.
    — Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 29 July 2026
  • Santa Barbara Zoo stated on July 20 that the cub who recently died had stopped nursing.
    — Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 28 July 2026
Definition of nursing
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
Noun
  • The connection between the films goes far beyond the presence of a foundling.
    — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2026
  • When Heathcliff, a foundling, discovers that Cathy Earnshaw, the daughter of the impoverished Yorkshire lord who’s taken him in, has played a prank on him by putting eggs in his beds to be crushed, the boy plunges his fingers into the slippery puddle of yolk and albumen left behind.
    — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 9 Feb. 2026
Definition of foundling
Noun
  • Males guard the eggs and newborn frogs, called neonates.
    — Ana V. Longo, The Conversation, 24 June 2026
  • There have been publications about nicotine transmission and neonates after blood transfusion.
    — Torie Bosch, STAT, 1 June 2026
Definition of neonate
Noun
  • Gordon is cherub-faced, with low affect, speaks in a laconic and analytic style, and has a wry and elusive smile.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 July 2026
  • In Wood’s ritzy dressing room worthy of Elizabeth Taylor, a cherub hangs overhead, while a leap of ceramic leopards prowls the lounge.
    — Zoey Goto, Architectural Digest, 6 May 2026
Definition of cherub

Browse Nearby Words

suckles
suckling
sucklings
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Cite this Entry

“Suckling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suckling. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on suckling

Nglish: Translation of suckling for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about suckling

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