1
as in birthplace
a place of origin
Philadelphia is known as "the cradle of liberty" because it was there that the Declaration of Independence was signed
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2
as in source
a point or place at which something is invented or provided
the 1848 meeting at Seneca Falls, New York, is often regarded as the cradle of the women's suffrage movement
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1
2
as in to mother
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cradle
Siobhan Reid, Vogue, 28 May 2025
Bonus: There are cradles for your dumbbells, along with a tablet holder.
—Sara Coughlin, SELF, 28 May 2025
Blue Carreon, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
His wife was sitting in the public gallery a few feet away, cradling their tiny newborn son, Deen.
—Adrian Florido, NPR, 24 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for cradle
Noun
Spanning 17 autonomous regions and two small enclaves in North Africa, the country is a cradle of diverse cultures, geography, traditions, even languages.
—Siobhan Reid, Vogue, 28 May 2025
Bonus: There are cradles for your dumbbells, along with a tablet holder.
—Sara Coughlin, SELF, 28 May 2025
Verb
Our Signature Watch Sentinels—ingeniously engineered with a rack-and-pinion mechanism and enveloped in fine leather—crafted to cradle each timepiece with exacting precision, adjusting seamlessly to the unique fit of the collector’s wrist.
—Blue Carreon, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
His wife was sitting in the public gallery a few feet away, cradling their tiny newborn son, Deen.
—Adrian Florido, NPR, 24 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for cradle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cradle
Noun
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June 22 marks the 350th anniversary of the Royal Observatory Greenwich, the home of the historic Prime Meridian that is considered by many to be the birthplace of modern astronomy.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
22 June 2025
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Such echo chambers are the birthplace of the comparison trap, which can establish unrealistic expectations and stifle the ambition of an individual and an entire industry.—
Drew Gerber,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
Noun
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Lam aims to meet Trump to help finalize an agreement, the sources said, asking not to be identified as the trip isn't finalized yet.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
21 June 2025
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At this point, the aircraft have no additional orders, sources said.—
Katherine Faulders,
ABC News,
21 June 2025
Verb
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The two enclosures connect to one another with standard speaker wire and basic clamping terminals.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
4 June 2025
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Animal Farm, published in 1945 as the Soviet Union was clamping its pincers on Eastern Europe, and 1948 – published at a time when Stalin had drawn the Iron Curtain between East and West – illustrate the moral depravity of the powerful who exert dominance over the powerless.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
16 May 2025
Verb
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One of her reasons for leaving was to focus on mothering her two daughters.—
Elizabeth Ayoola,
Essence,
28 May 2025
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Dana is really mothering to her fullest at the top of the hour.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
27 Feb. 2025
Noun
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In conversation with Forbes Life, Stoddard speaks about her travels during her research, the origins of ralli and the future of this age-old, beautiful craft.—
Sonya Rehman,
Forbes.com,
15 June 2025
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The movie charts the influential British rock group's origin story in the late 1960s, from their earliest days – and how everybody wasn't all about that now-iconic name – to their meteoric rise as one of the world's biggest bands.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
14 June 2025
Verb
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One hand hovers above her swollen belly; the other grips the tripod leg of her large-format Deardorff.—
Max Norman,
New Yorker,
13 June 2025
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An arm with suction can grip a case or tote, pull it out, and ergonomically present it to a worker at an order selection station.—
Steve Banker,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2025
Noun
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In the pars urbana, grand villas tend to feature stately construction materials like marble; extensive mosaics and frescoes; and amenities like private baths, fountains and gardens.—
Eli Wizevich,
Smithsonian Magazine,
13 June 2025
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The staff’s impeccable service and the charming courtyard, complete with lush flowers and a bubbling fountain, enhance the calming atmosphere even more.—
Katie Sweeney,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2025
Verb
-
Many clung to the illusion that silence might spare them.—
Elisa Manfredini,
Time,
14 June 2025
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Similarly, Health and Human Services Secretary RFK Jr. has long clung to debunked theories linking vaccines to autism, a claim repeatedly disproven by large-scale studies.—
Robert Pearl,
Twin Cities,
14 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cradle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cradle. Accessed 27 Jun. 2025.
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