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
-
If packing your kids’ lunch for school was an Olympic sport, my mother would have been a gold medalist every year.—
Sian Babish,
PEOPLE,
11 Jan. 2026
-
This can be as simple as displaying your kids' art on the fridge or as involved as involving your partner in paint choices.—
Tessa Cooper,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
If your children do homework at the kitchen table instead of their bedrooms, find a spot to keep school supplies handy.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Questioning the powerful influences that oversee and fund what our children learn is critical.—
SHELLEY SMITH SPECIAL TO THE DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE,
Arkansas Online,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Kiko sired two calves, with a third due early this year.—
Erin Clements,
PEOPLE,
5 Jan. 2026
-
The Gallant Fox — named for the 1930 winner and the only Triple Crown champion to sire another Triple Crown champion — is Peake’s recommendation.—
Lennie Omalza,
Louisville Courier Journal,
23 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
The cubs’ mother, Molly, arrived at the zoo from Sunset Zoo in Kansas last April.—
Erin Clements,
PEOPLE,
7 Jan. 2026
-
What readers are saying The comments on the article about sloth bears at the National Zoo focus on the birth of two sloth bear cubs and the uncertainty surrounding the identity of their father.—
Martin Weil,
Washington Post,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Roky, a 6-year-old terrier mix who’s the recycling and handyman pup.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Like so many dogs, Tuzi deals with itchy skin, and Shields swears by Prospect Pet’s Skin & Coat Health Booster to give her pup some relief.—
Madison Yauger,
PEOPLE,
9 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Aspen is her mother Alika’s first calf, and is the third calf fathered by a giraffe named Aiden, the zoo said.—
Kendrick Calfee
January 9,
Kansas City Star,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Clapton fathered his first child, Ruth, with Yvonne Kelly in 1985.—
Kayla Grant,
PEOPLE,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
As an independent music artist, Kerensa is no stranger to social media—but didn’t expect Pomelo kitten to become an internet star.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Oct. 2025
-
Her carousel began with a photo of the Academy Award-winning actress sitting on the floor, out of frame so that the camera mostly captured her hands holding the black and white kitten up to the lens.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Yes, athletics beget injuries, no matter the age or level.—
Grace Perry,
Outside,
1 Jan. 2026
-
Yet Sorry, Baby doesn’t elide Agnes’s trauma, either; it is punctuated with moments—from Agnes answering a jury duty summons to a third-act revelation that begets a panic attack—to indicate, in no uncertain terms, that she’s been affected on a cellular level.—
Hannah Jackson,
Vogue,
29 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Whelp.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whelp. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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