weaned; weaning; weans
1
: to accustom (a young child or animal) to take food otherwise than by nursing
2
: to detach from a source of dependence
being weaned off the medication
wean the bears from human food—
Sports Illus.
Sports Illus.
also
: to free from a usually unwholesome habit or interest
wean him off his excessive drinking
settling his soldiers on the land … , weaning them from habits of violence —Geoffrey Carnall
Geoffrey Carnall 3
: to accustom to something from an early age
—used in the passive especially with on
students weaned on the Internet for research
I was weaned on greasepaint—Helen Hayes
Helen Hayesthe principles upon which he had been weaned—J. A. Michener
J. A. MichenerExamples of wean in a Sentence
The calves are weaned at an early age.
Recent Examples on the Web
Or if Yoshihide Suga (2020-2021) and Kishida (2021-2024) had worked to level playing fields, rekindle Japan’s once world-changing innovative spirits, reduce the role of exports and wean the nation off ultraloose money policies.
—William Pesek, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025
The summit — with Scott, Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chair Mike Lee, and Sen. Dan Sullivan — will focus on weaning the U.S. off foreign adversaries and spurring domestic production of critical minerals.
—Daniel Moore, Axios, 5 Mar. 2025
Austria is using geothermal energy to heat homes to wean itself off Russian natural gas.
—German Lopez, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2025
From the outset, her plan is to release the animal back into nature once it’s weaned, and to give it as much freedom as possible in the meantime.
—Heller McAlpin, The Christian Science Monitor, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wean
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William Pesek, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025
The summit — with Scott, Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chair Mike Lee, and Sen. Dan Sullivan — will focus on weaning the U.S. off foreign adversaries and spurring domestic production of critical minerals.
—Daniel Moore, Axios, 5 Mar. 2025
Austria is using geothermal energy to heat homes to wean itself off Russian natural gas.
—German Lopez, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2025
From the outset, her plan is to release the animal back into nature once it’s weaned, and to give it as much freedom as possible in the meantime.
—Heller McAlpin, The Christian Science Monitor, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wean
Cite this Entry
“Wean.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wean. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
wean
verb1
: to get a child or young animal used to food other than its mother's milk
2
: to turn (one) away from something long desired or followed
wean a person from a bad habit
Medical Definition
wean
transitive verb1
: to accustom (as an infant or young child) to take food otherwise than by nursing
2
: to detach usually gradually from a cause of dependence or form of treatment
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