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
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Recent Examples of whelp
Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
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
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
Noun
-
In that year in the United States the number of lost kids had dropped to just over two per hundred.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
-
Children might get a teepee tent and toys, while older kids might have cards, board games, boogie boards, or a volleyball net.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
There are several Nick Cannons — the TV host, the actor, the occasional hip-hop artist, the penitent, and, perhaps the most famous Cannon, the fertile father of 12 who sired five children in 2022 alone.—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
13 May 2026
-
Bowie sired a calf there in June 2025, making Fort Worth Zoo’s oldest elephant Rasha a great-grandmother and the matriarch of four generations.—
Harriet Ramos
May 7,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
Every year for birthdays and holidays, my in-laws give cash as gifts to their children and the spouses.—
Jeanne Phillips,
Mercury News,
13 June 2026
-
Sam Abu Haikal is the 13th child to be killed by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank so far this year, according to the Israeli human rights group B’Tselem, which has documented the killing of 236 children in the region by Israeli forces since the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023.—
Jeremy Diamond,
CNN Money,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
The women at Carswell are responsible for socializing and training the Canine Companion pup they are matched with, like Aikman.—
Nelly Carreño,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
-
Extra food for me, my partner, and pup too.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
30 May 2026
Noun
-
As part of normal animal care procedures, the cubs will remain in quarantine for at least 30 days.—
Patrick Connolly,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 June 2026
-
Bear cubs, wolf pups, and other wildlife have all been killed by distracted drivers.—
Katie Jackson,
Travel + Leisure,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
In a sentencing memorandum in the federal case, a defense attorney said Rhone was born in Houston to a man who fathered 27 children with at least three wives while working as an explosives expert building railroads.—
Karen Kucher,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 June 2026
-
It's been reported that a motivating factor in Princess Anne finally making the split official was the discovery that her husband had fathered another child years earlier.—
Meredith Kile,
PEOPLE,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
This Time album will beget Vanity 6, which will beget 1999.—
Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson,
VIBE.com,
7 June 2026
-
Lestat begat his first love, Nicolas de Lenfent, as well as Louis, Claudia, and another lover, Antoinette.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
7 June 2026
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
-
On our farm in Muscatine County, Iowa, three hours west of Chicago, spring means calving season.—
Susan Koch,
Chicago Tribune,
8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Whelp.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whelp. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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