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
Carl Zimmer, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2025
All of this sits on a double cradle structure and dual backbone which helps with light sports riding and stability at high speeds by fusing suppleness and stability.
—New Atlas, 24 Feb. 2025
Charna Flam, People.com, 3 Mar. 2025
The video, which has garnered more than 256,000 views to date, captured the woman cradling the dog on a serene beach, highlighting a message of hope for shelter animals waiting to find their forever homes.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 31 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cradle
Noun
But in 2018, Dr. Scerri and her colleagues challenged the idea that East African grasslands were the single cradle of humanity.
—Carl Zimmer, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2025
All of this sits on a double cradle structure and dual backbone which helps with light sports riding and stability at high speeds by fusing suppleness and stability.
—New Atlas, 24 Feb. 2025
Verb
Along with images of the sonogram and baby clothes, a couple more snaps included Courtney in front of a white barn cradling her growing baby bump, one image by herself and another with Cole by her side.
—Charna Flam, People.com, 3 Mar. 2025
The video, which has garnered more than 256,000 views to date, captured the woman cradling the dog on a serene beach, highlighting a message of hope for shelter animals waiting to find their forever homes.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 31 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cradle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cradle
Noun
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While Ethiopia is often referred to as the birthplace of coffee, historical records show Yemen was where it was first cultivated, according to World Coffee Research.—
Hira Qureshi,
Bon Appétit,
18 Mar. 2025
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Jody's Club Forest, a bar and grill on New York's Staten Island, claims to be the birthplace of the tournament brackets now filled out by millions of Americans in office betting pools.—
Bill Hutchinson,
ABC News,
18 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Creating a carbon copy of the original could attract criticism for being lazy and superfluous whereas straying too far from the source material could alienate fans.—
Caroline Reid,
Forbes.com,
30 Mar. 2025
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Other sources say red No. 40 and yellow No. 5 and No. 6 contain or may be contaminated with known carcinogens.—
Kristen Rogers,
CNN Money,
29 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Keep in mind that the diameter of the clamping surface may vary from 25.5 to 35 millimeters.—
BestReviews,
The Mercury News,
13 Mar. 2025
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Unlike Ophiocordyceps, which forces ants to clamp onto vegetation before a fruiting body erupts from their heads, Gibellula species spread in a finer, more filamentous way, using the entire spider’s body as a fungal scaffolding.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes,
6 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Dana is really mothering to her fullest at the top of the hour.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
27 Feb. 2025
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Staff Picks: Our 10 Most Anticipated Albums of 2025 Beginning with Ethel Cain, mothers will be mothering all throughout the year.—
James Factora,
Them,
16 Jan. 2025
Noun
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While Jubilee struck a more uplifting tone compared to past albums, For Melancholy Brunettes returns to some of the band’s moodier origins.—
Chris Malone Mendez,
Forbes,
22 Mar. 2025
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Season Two didn’t always help itself in that regard, devoting entire installments to Cold Harbor and to the origin of the severance process itself.—
Alan Sepinwall,
Rolling Stone,
21 Mar. 2025
Verb
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An idea may grip you when Venus retrograde aligns with Pluto.—
USA TODAY,
USA TODAY,
21 Mar. 2025
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Week in Review Asian equities were mixed for the week as the U.S. recession fears gripped the region.—
Brendan Ahern,
Forbes,
21 Mar. 2025
Noun
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During the last eight hours, fountains shot up to 600 feet high, mainly through the south vent at the closed area of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA TODAY,
21 Mar. 2025
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During the last seven hours, lava fountains were up to 600 feet high, according to the USGS' Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
21 Mar. 2025
Verb
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After having no answers for three months, those who were close to Sharkey are clinging onto hope that his killer will be found.—
Kendrick Calfee,
Kansas City Star,
22 Mar. 2025
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Business leaders cling to physical-first thinking because change threatens their world view.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes,
21 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cradle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cradle. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.
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