1
as in to nurse
to give milk to from the breast
wet-nursed the woman's baby until she was well enough to do it herself
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in to spoil
to treat with great or excessive care
recent college grads quickly learn that employers won't wet-nurse them the way that their teachers did
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of wet-nurse
With nowhere else to turn, Karoline takes on the role of a wet-nurse.
—
Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline, 19 Sep. 2024
In von Horn’s pic, set in post WW1 Copenhagen, the focal point is Karoline (Sonne), a young pregnant factory worker, who takes on the job of a wet-nurse for the charismatic Dagmar (Dyrholm) in order to escape poverty.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 19 May 2024
Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline, 19 Sep. 2024
In von Horn’s pic, set in post WW1 Copenhagen, the focal point is Karoline (Sonne), a young pregnant factory worker, who takes on the job of a wet-nurse for the charismatic Dagmar (Dyrholm) in order to escape poverty.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 19 May 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wet-nurse
Verb
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For Sofia Coppola’s remake of the 1971 Don Siegel drama, Farrell took on a role originally played by Clint Eastwood, as the wounded Union soldier who is sheltered and nursed by a group of young women in a seminary in Confederate Virginia.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
30 Oct. 2025
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Many years have passed since nursing home patients lived in the Redlands Road building, the obscure permit on which the occupancy rested has lapsed.—
Lou Murray,
Boston Herald,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The Toronto Blue Jays nearly ended their 32-year World Series drought, but the Los Angeles Dodgers spoiled their hopes in Game 7.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
2 Nov. 2025
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Mizzou had a chance to spoil the fun and put the national spotlight on Columbia.—
Quentin Corpuel,
Kansas City Star,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Dogs and cats often will suckle on a toy, or even another animal, as a way to re-create those memories of comfort from nursing their mothers.—
Joan Morris,
Mercury News,
8 Sep. 2025
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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
Verb
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Hummers are the smallest and lightest of birds, some weighing no more than a coin, some babies the size of a bean.—
Kate Siber,
Outside,
21 Oct. 2025
-
Outside the woods the whole world babied her.—
Hazlitt,
Hazlitt,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Really, the album is about tiring of mothering men who are great in bed but lack crucial social skills.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
3 Sep. 2025
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She was born on July 10, 2024, to mother Jona, 26 and father Tony, 25, with two other siblings Pork Stew and Sweet Pork at the zoo in Chonburi, NorthJersey.com, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK, reported.—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
11 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wet-nurse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wet-nurse. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
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