as in kid
a young person who is between infancy and adulthood
playtime's over, it's time to gather up the whelps and head home
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Recent Examples of whelp
Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Apr. 2025
The alpha male was a foster, and his mate whelped — or gave birth — during the same week, making the pack an ideal candidate to receive pups.
—Hayleigh Evans, The Arizona Republic, 29 July 2024
When a captive mother whelps, or gives birth on her own, managers match her pups with a wild den using GPS coordinates from radio collars placed on packs’ breeding alpha male and female.
—Hayleigh Evans, The Arizona Republic, 3 May 2024
Given its importance as one of two Northwest Atlantic harp seal whelping grounds, the area is one of Nat Geo’s Best Trips for 2020.
—Jennifer Hayes, National Geographic, 19 Dec. 2019
And from Susan’s line, the queen’s breeding program at the Kennels of Windsor whelped hundreds of corgi puppies.
—William Booth, Washington Post, 18 Apr. 2018
From the queen's breeding program at the Kennels of Windsor, hundreds of royal corgis have been whelped.
—William Booth, chicagotribune.com, 18 Apr. 2018
Verb
Owners can help the process by giving them a whelping box.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Apr. 2025
The alpha male was a foster, and his mate whelped — or gave birth — during the same week, making the pack an ideal candidate to receive pups.
—Hayleigh Evans, The Arizona Republic, 29 July 2024
When a captive mother whelps, or gives birth on her own, managers match her pups with a wild den using GPS coordinates from radio collars placed on packs’ breeding alpha male and female.
—Hayleigh Evans, The Arizona Republic, 3 May 2024
Given its importance as one of two Northwest Atlantic harp seal whelping grounds, the area is one of Nat Geo’s Best Trips for 2020.
—Jennifer Hayes, National Geographic, 19 Dec. 2019
And from Susan’s line, the queen’s breeding program at the Kennels of Windsor whelped hundreds of corgi puppies.
—William Booth, Washington Post, 18 Apr. 2018
From the queen's breeding program at the Kennels of Windsor, hundreds of royal corgis have been whelped.
—William Booth, chicagotribune.com, 18 Apr. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whelp
Noun
-
The study, published in JAMA on Wednesday, looked at data on more than 4,000 kids from an ongoing longitudinal study following them for years, starting at ages 9 to 10.—
Rhitu Chatterjee,
NPR,
18 June 2025
-
The presence of a 37-year-old who brought the tenacity of a champion to the lineup and the joy of a kid to the dressing room.—
Chris Johnston,
New York Times,
18 June 2025
Noun
-
He was hired to perform an autopsy on the child, who died while Ross was in delivery.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
People.com,
21 June 2025
-
Gisele Bündchen is putting her figure on display just a few months after welcoming her third child.—
Janelle Ash,
FOXNews.com,
21 June 2025
Verb
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Both Sovereignty and Tappan Street are sons of super sire Into Mischief, who has sired 8 Breeders’ Cup winners and 22 Grade 1 winners with Authentic the 2020 Kentucky Derby winner and Mandaloun the 2021 Kentucky Derby winner on disqualification.—
Jay Ginsbach,
Forbes.com,
29 Mar. 2025
-
Flying Mohawk This horse was sired by Karakontie, a Mohawk word that roughly translates to flying sun burning across the sky.—
Tim Newcomb,
Forbes.com,
1 May 2025
Noun
-
The cubs were eating solid food already, including a small bird called a wagtail and a woolly rhinoceros—probably a younger rhino brought down by adults in the pack.—
Sarah Kuta,
Smithsonian Magazine,
17 June 2025
-
The Cheetah Rescue and Conservation Centre recently welcomed four new cubs, all siblings.—
Rachel Raposas,
People.com,
14 June 2025
Verb
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Visiting Point Reyes in spring coincides with the final weeks of elephant seal pupping season, meaning the highest number of pups on the beaches.—
Emese Maczko,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2025
-
Sea lion pupping season begins in mid-May, and births continue through the first week of July, according to the Seal Society.—
Ashley Mackin Solomon,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 May 2025
Verb
-
The singer, whose real name is Claire Boucher, was reportedly unaware of the twins’ existence until months later, when Insider published court documents in July 2022 revealing Musk had fathered the children with the Neuralink project director.—
Lynsey Eidell,
People.com,
13 June 2025
-
Their fifth child was Lyon Gardiner Tyler Sr., who later fathered Harrison Ruffin Tyler.—
Sarah Kuta,
Smithsonian Magazine,
30 May 2025
Verb
-
After getting rescued at a young age, a tuxedo kitten immediately claimed his owner's cat as his own new mommy, and internet users can't cope with the heartwarming relationship the two have developed.—
Gordon G. Chang,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Apr. 2025
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Local authorities were able to coax the bobcat kitten out of the tree and bring it some comfort.—
Amaris Encinas,
USA TODAY,
25 July 2023
Verb
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Yet, that controversy also begot Blu’s Hanging, as inextricably as the chicken, the egg.—
erin Khuê Ninh
June 17,
Literary Hub,
17 June 2025
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It is envisioned as a type of intelligence explosion, whereby intelligence rapidly begets more intelligence.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Whelp.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whelp. Accessed 26 Jun. 2025.
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