mother 1 of 3

as in mom
a female human parent he dreaded telling his mother that her favorite figurine had gotten broken

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mother

2 of 3

adjective

as in maternal
of, relating to, or characteristic of a mother she often offered to babysit for friends, hoping to satisfy her mother urges until she had children of her own

Synonyms & Similar Words

mother

3 of 3

verb

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of mother
Noun
Following her debut in March 2025 in the Valentino Fall/Winter 2025 fashion show, the teen returned to the catwalk with force, booking gigs across New York, Milan and Paris Fashion Weeks (and with her famous and stylish mother along for the ride). Michelle Lee, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025 Being fed this way, tasting my mother or Usha’s fingers mingled with the food still feels like the most primal act of care. Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2025
Verb
One of her reasons for leaving was to focus on mothering her two daughters. Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 28 May 2025 Lupita Nyong'o stars as Roz, a service robot who washes up on a small island with no human inhabitants and must figure out how to adapt her programming to the wilderness while mothering a baby goose. K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 23 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for mother
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mother
Noun
  • Maybe mom and dad were never supposed to nurture your creativity just like their parents never drew them a blueprint on how to survive as immigrants.
    Dana Harris-Bridson, IndieWire, 13 Oct. 2025
  • The 24-year-old was practically raised on Gabonese culture via her bonus mom Eudoxie.
    Essence, Essence, 13 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Her memories of that time were filled with road trips, often to Mexico to visit her maternal grandparents and great-grandparents.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Oct. 2025
  • In the podcast, Holt interviewed Nikki's maternal grandfather, who revealed claims of judicial misconduct involving the Anderson County judge who presided over Roberson's trial.
    Erik Ortiz, NBC news, 9 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • James is one of them, though his kindly attempts to be there for Linda, as amateur repairman and reluctant babysitter, have a way of backfiring, usually on himself.
    Justin Chang, New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2025
  • Although exact details have yet to be released, people familiar with the matter told the Associated Press that Hamas is expected to release all 20 surviving hostages this weekend, while Israeli forces begin withdrawing from most of Gaza.
    Callum Sutherland, Time, 9 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Murray continues to nurse a foot injury suffered in the team's Week 5 loss to the Tennessee Titans, which has resulted in him being held out of practice for most of the week.
    Reice Shipley, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
  • The 6-foot-4, 290-pound defensive lineman, who nursed a high-ankle sprain throughout August and September, returned to the lineup late in the first quarter of the Week 5 win against Miami.
    Mike Kaye October 9, Charlotte Observer, 9 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Maintain a safe distance from large vehicles - Trucks or buses can produce a water spray that hampers visibility.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 13 Oct. 2025
  • In piling up a season-high point total, the Hornets produced three 100-yard rushers to steamroll the Wildcats, the first such feat for Sac State in a single game for a program that fielded its first team in 1954.
    Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 12 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Have the latest Reality Checks delivered to your inbox with our free newsletter.
    Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 13 Oct. 2025
  • In March 2025, released hostages delivered a sign of life from him to his family.
    Itay Stern, NPR, 13 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Scientists believe that today's possible ocean on Mimas isn't a remnant of its formation, however, but rather a recent arrival — one most likely birthed by changes in the moon's travels.
    Nola Taylor Tillman, Space.com, 10 Oct. 2025
  • And, more pressingly, there’s the stand-up career that’s just birthed her latest comedy special.
    Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Mother.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mother. Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.

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