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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in infant
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of suckling
Gretta Monahan, Boston Herald, 8 June 2025
All that gnashing and suckling is old hat — as old as the burgundy fedora Jordan slips on when playing the more jovial of these brothers in arms.
—A.a. Dowd, Rolling Stone, 17 Apr. 2025
Benjamin Kemper, Saveur, 13 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for suckling
Verb
On Father’s Day starting at 2 p.m., the afternoon will be one big party at the Beacon Hill property, full of yard games, live reggae, slow-roasted suckling pig, baby back ribs, craft cocktails, Cajun swordfish, and bourbon-marinated steak tips.
—Gretta Monahan, Boston Herald, 8 June 2025
All that gnashing and suckling is old hat — as old as the burgundy fedora Jordan slips on when playing the more jovial of these brothers in arms.
—A.a. Dowd, Rolling Stone, 17 Apr. 2025
Noun
The best rooms look out over the sea and the rugged peaks of Cavall Bernat—a view shared by the rooftop restaurant, where local meats star in dishes like suckling porc negre and pastry stuffed with guinea fowl in almond sauce.
—Benjamin Kemper, Saveur, 13 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for suckling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suckling
Verb
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Jimenez’s union, SEIU-UHW, represents thousands of frontline health care workers including nursing home caregivers, respiratory therapists and hospital staff.—
Cathie Anderson,
Sacbee.com,
24 Oct. 2025
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Chouinard slashed his knee open while chopping ice and celebrated his 30th birthday nursing it in the cave.—
Maya Silver,
Outside,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, or WIC, offers food benefits, breastfeeding services and nutrition education to 65,000 Arkansas women, infants and children younger than five.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
26 Oct. 2025
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The infant could be heard making sounds of struggling to breathe as the officers continued CPR.—
Kimberlee Speakman,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Still, the closest Safe Haven Baby Box — where mothers unable to care for their newborns can safely drop them off, no questions asked — is in Savannah, Missouri, about an hour away.—
Laura Bauer,
Kansas City Star,
26 Oct. 2025
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Federal data shows that WIC feeds more than 4 in 10 (41%) of all newborns in the United States.—
Andre Mouchard,
Oc Register,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
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There were grim meetings with every male foundling who landed on the streets or showed up at city hospitals.—
Mara Bovsun,
New York Daily News,
3 May 2025
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But Mufasa's welcome is no kinder than the reception Dickens doled out to the foundlings scattered throughout his novels.—
Tom Gliatto,
People.com,
20 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Among these studies, 12 post-approval studies included 3,646 neonates, newborns, infants and children.—
Dr. Jade Cobern,
ABC News,
18 Sep. 2025
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The scientists also found several neonates and newborns in the area, Pardo-Pérez tells Flora Lichtman of Science Friday, which suggests that the site served as a nursery for the prehistoric animals.—
Sara Hashemi,
Smithsonian Magazine,
8 July 2025
Noun
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Out went the restrained décor of previous administrations; in came gilt cherubs, Rococo mirrors, and medallions gleaming with theatrical flair.—
Lilah Ramzi,
Vogue,
3 Aug. 2025
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Trump has also made significant decorative changes to the Oval Office, incorporating gold accents, cherubs and other ornate touches, and has installed large flagpoles to display American flags on both the north and south lawns.—
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Suckling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suckling. Accessed 2 Nov. 2025.
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