whelp 1 of 2

noun

ˈ(h)welp How to pronounce whelp (audio)
Definition of whelpnext
as in kid
a young person who is between infancy and adulthood playtime's over, it's time to gather up the whelps and head home

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

whelp

2 of 2

verb

as in to litter

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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 whelp
Noun
Unlikely Meathead, a whelp who spoke from a position of occasionally whiny, frequently wet-behind-the-ears insulation from life’s realities, Reiner had gray in his beard and a lengthy track record of using his podium for good. — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Verb
Owners can help the process by giving them a whelping box. — Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Apr. 2025 The alpha male was a foster, and his mate whelped — or gave birth — during the same week, making the pack an ideal candidate to receive pups. — Hayleigh Evans, The Arizona Republic, 29 July 2024 Given its importance as one of two Northwest Atlantic harp seal whelping grounds, the area is one of Nat Geo’s Best Trips for 2020. — Jennifer Hayes, National Geographic, 19 Dec. 2019 And from Susan’s line, the queen’s breeding program at the Kennels of Windsor whelped hundreds of corgi puppies. — William Booth, Washington Post, 18 Apr. 2018 From the queen's breeding program at the Kennels of Windsor, hundreds of royal corgis have been whelped. — William Booth, chicagotribune.com, 18 Apr. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whelp
  1. kid
  2. sire
  3. child
  4. pup
  5. cub
  6. father
  7. beget
  8. calve
Noun
  • For older kids who have trouble adjusting to the demands on the school year, plenty of time to wind down after school and a predictable morning routine are key.
    — Parents, Parents, 17 July 2026
  • That said, this probably won’t be even faintly legible on a home entertainment system, let alone the handheld gadgets that kids like the ones seen here prefer to watch entertainment on these days.
    — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 17 July 2026
Definition of kid
Verb
  • Gun Runner’s stable still has the brass nameplate of its former occupant, legendary 1977 Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew, who also sired an impressive line of runners.
    — Graham Cornwell, New York Times, 19 June 2026
  • He was brought to the United States that year, and has since sired four calves.
    — Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 June 2026
Definition of sire
Noun
  • Under the law, their children were deemed to be citizens at birth.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2026
  • Two adults and a child were injured by falling debris in Qatar as the country defended against Iranian attacks, its Ministry of Interior said Sunday.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 12 July 2026
Definition of child
Verb
  • The southern elephant seal pup mortality was estimated to be 76% across a population of 17,000 seal pups born on the islands, the program said.
    — Kathleen Magramo, CNN Money, 19 June 2026
  • But competition in summer decreases pup survival to one or two.
    — Ted Williams, Denver Post, 12 June 2026
Definition of pup
Noun
  • Conservationists say the bears were likely taken from the wild as cubs.
    — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 8 July 2026
  • Her male cub followed suit, and the two cheetahs began to creep toward a herd of unsuspecting Thomson’s gazelles, grazing about 100 yards away.
    — Elizabeth Cantrell, Travel + Leisure, 7 July 2026
Definition of cub
Verb
  • In October 2018, a source confirmed to PEOPLE that Wilson also fathered a daughter named Lyla with Varunie Vongsvirates.
    — Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 10 July 2026
  • Males who mate with many females might be trying to father as many offspring as possible.
    — Andrew Coletti, Popular Science, 8 July 2026
Definition of father
Verb
  • The accolades and ballooning crowds beget a prime slot at Coachella.
    — Marisa Fox, Rolling Stone, 16 July 2026
  • Distance begets latency; each kilometer of satellite separation adds more microseconds of latency, and those microseconds matter.
    — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 15 July 2026
Definition of beget
Verb
  • The number of cattle that had calved (given birth to a baby) was also down 100,000 from the prior year.
    — Justin Klawans, TheWeek, 4 June 2026
  • According to the New England Aquarium, this year's right whale calving season produced 23 mother-calf pairs, which is the highest total recorded since 2009.
    — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 8 May 2026
Definition of calve

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Cite this Entry

“Whelp.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whelp. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

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