as in marriage
a union representing a special kind of social and legal partnership between two people
joined the happy couple in holy wedlock
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Recent Examples of wedlock
Born out of wedlock to a celebrated general, Hedda’s father has left her with only his opulent, Chekhovian gun collection and a precarious foothold in high society.
—
Abby Monteil, Them., 28 Oct. 2025
In 1918, Soviet women were given the right to higher education, equal pay, no-fault civil divorce, child support (including for children born out of wedlock), paid maternity leave, and access to free maternity hospitals.
—Julia Ioffe, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2025
The vehement characters DiCaprio and Taylor inhabit end up having a daughter out of wedlock during a time where their society is on the brink of anarchy.
—Essence, 18 Sep. 2025
My knee baby, Ivy, was twenty and studying music over at Ole Miss, and Manny was going into his senior year, set to be salutatorian—all with no children out of wedlock, thank you, Jesus.
—Literary Hub, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wedlock
Abby Monteil, Them., 28 Oct. 2025
In 1918, Soviet women were given the right to higher education, equal pay, no-fault civil divorce, child support (including for children born out of wedlock), paid maternity leave, and access to free maternity hospitals.
—Julia Ioffe, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2025
The vehement characters DiCaprio and Taylor inhabit end up having a daughter out of wedlock during a time where their society is on the brink of anarchy.
—Essence, 18 Sep. 2025
My knee baby, Ivy, was twenty and studying music over at Ole Miss, and Manny was going into his senior year, set to be salutatorian—all with no children out of wedlock, thank you, Jesus.
—Literary Hub, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wedlock
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wedlock
marriage
Noun
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But Clark also sells the app as a way to spice up their marriages, not as a choice that invites divorce.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
26 Feb. 2026
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Over 4,000 couples were married, including Rosie O’Donnell and her partner, Kelli Carpenter, before the California Supreme Court later voided the marriages.—
CNN.com,
Mercury News,
24 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wedlock.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wedlock. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
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