plural babies
1
a(1)
: an extremely young child
especially
: infant
She just had a baby.
I hear the baby crying.
—sometimes used of an adult daughter or son to express parental nostalgia or affection Our baby has gone off to college.
You'll always be my baby.
(2)
: an extremely young animal
b
: the youngest of a group
He is the baby of the family.
2
a
: one that is like a baby (as in behavior)
When it comes to getting shots, I'm a real baby.
b
: something that is one's special responsibility, achievement, or interest
The project was his baby.
3
1
: of, relating to, or being an extremely young child
a baby bonnet
2
: much smaller than the usual
baby carrots
a baby grand piano
Take baby steps.
babied; babying
1
: to tend to indulge with often excessive or inappropriate care and solicitude
babying their only child
2
: to use or treat with care
babying a sore knee
Synonyms
Examples of baby in a Sentence
Noun
I hear the baby crying.
The baby is just learning to crawl.
a bird and its babies
My sister is the baby of the family.
“Only 32? Oh, you're just a baby!”
When it comes to getting shots, I'm a real baby.
Don't be such a baby—you'll get your turn.
Nothing's gone right since my baby went away.
Verb
That boy will never learn to stand up for himself if you don't stop babying him.
He was babying his injured foot.
Recent Examples on the Web
Saman Shafiq, USA TODAY, 20 Dec. 2024
Two weeks after adopting a baby, Joss Stone’s family is growing even more than expected.
—Vivian Kwarm, New York Daily News, 20 Dec. 2024
Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 28 Nov. 2023
Plus, judging by Dustin May, Walker Buehler and many others, babying a pitcher doesn’t seem too effective.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 6 June 2023
See all Example Sentences for baby 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
Charmaine was being threatened by her baby daddy Calvin and was looking into getting a restraining order against him.
—Saman Shafiq, USA TODAY, 20 Dec. 2024
Two weeks after adopting a baby, Joss Stone’s family is growing even more than expected.
—Vivian Kwarm, New York Daily News, 20 Dec. 2024
Verb
The sensitive child of the bunch doesn’t need to be babied.
—Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 28 Nov. 2023
Plus, judging by Dustin May, Walker Buehler and many others, babying a pitcher doesn’t seem too effective.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 6 June 2023
See all Example Sentences for baby
Dictionary Entries Near baby
Cite this Entry
“Baby.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/baby. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
baby
2 of 3 adjective1
: being or relating to a baby
a baby deer
my baby sister
baby clothes
2
: much smaller than usual
a baby grand piano
baby carrots
baby
3 of 3 verb
babied; babying
1
: to use or treat as a baby : pet
2
: to operate or treat with care
babied the car
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