baby 1 of 3

noun

ˈbā-bē How to pronounce baby (audio)
Definition of babynext
1
as in child
a recently born person the baby is just learning to sit up, so be careful

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in person
a member of the human race I don't care what you want, there'll be no more work for this baby today

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in success
a successful result brought about by hard work a small film that was a labor of love and the baby that the director was proudest of

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in complainer
a person who makes frequent complaints usually about little things don't be such a baby—the shot didn't hurt that much

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

baby

2 of 3

verb

as in to nurse
to treat with great or excessive care he babied his car, faithfully washing it every week if you baby him he'll never learn to take care of himself

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

baby

3 of 3

adjective

as in mini

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Dissimilar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb baby contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of baby are humor, indulge, mollycoddle, pamper, and spoil. While all these words mean "to show undue favor to a person's desires and feelings," baby suggests excessive care, attention, or solicitude.

babying students by grading too easily

When might humor be a better fit than baby?

The synonyms humor and baby are sometimes interchangeable, but humor stresses a yielding to a person's moods or whims.

humored him by letting him tell the story

When can indulge be used instead of baby?

The words indulge and baby can be used in similar contexts, but indulge implies excessive compliance and weakness in gratifying another's or one's own desires.

indulged myself with food at the slightest excuse

Where would mollycoddle be a reasonable alternative to baby?

The words mollycoddle and baby are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, mollycoddle suggests an excessive degree of care and attention to another's health or welfare.

refused to mollycoddle her malingering son

In what contexts can pamper take the place of baby?

In some situations, the words pamper and baby are roughly equivalent. However, pamper implies inordinate gratification of desire for luxury and comfort with consequent enervating effect.

pampered by the amenities of modern living

When would spoil be a good substitute for baby?

The meanings of spoil and baby largely overlap; however, spoil stresses the injurious effects on character by indulging or pampering.

foolish parents spoil their children

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 baby
Noun
This year’s lingerie spectacular was no different, with Dame Pat McGrath masterminding the baby winged eyeliner and pink cheeks, while Guido Palau executed the blowouts. — Violet Hayward, Vogue, 19 Oct. 2026 The space also tells the story behind Loro Piana’s precious fibers and fabrics including vicuña, cashmere and baby cashmere, The Gift of Kings, cotton and linen. — David Moin, Footwear News, 19 Oct. 2026
Verb
The brothers were each two years apart in age, but younger siblings were never babied; Nick recalled being on the receiving end of numerous pummelings by his older brothers. — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 30 Jan. 2026 Each new piece was crafted to be simple, functional, and beautiful, giving parents peace of mind and babies a nurturing space to grow. — Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for baby
Recent Examples of Synonyms for baby
  1. child
  2. person
  3. success
  4. complainer
  5. nurse
  6. mini
  7. infant
  8. man
Noun
  • Health experts are also pushing the government to expand the program to vaccinate children over five.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The driver was still in the truck, as were two children, Moses said.
    — Dennis Romero, NBC news, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of child
Noun
  • Each of those raises the odds that a young person ends up in trouble, whatever the color of his skin.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Siluanov was in the meeting, according to a person familiar with the matter.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of person
Noun
  • Speculators may play an important role in markets by contributing to liquidity, but success is measured over shorter time horizons and requires sophisticated risk management.
    — Aneri Jambusaria, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Over the course of 10 years, Vincent created more than 800 paintings and 700 drawings, desperately hoping for financial independence and commercial success.
    — Joan Martelli, Time, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of success
Noun
  • My ‘Deborah Vance Show senior writer’ persona was kind of a rude complainer with an incipient alcohol problem.
    — Merrill Markoe, Deadline, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Are they deluded into thinking that the complainers are just a squeaky wheel minority and the majority of fans are happy with it?
    — Jeremy Rutherford, New York Times, 13 July 2026
Definition of complainer
Verb
  • For years, Pollock’s brother Sande had nursed him through alcoholism and breakdowns, but then Krasner stepped in.
    — Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2026
  • In 2023, 32-year old Lauren Norris felt pain while nursing her youngest of three children.
    — Roni Robbins, AJC.com, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of nurse
Adjective
  • Bag designs were more polarized, with oversize silhouettes and revivals of heritage styles juxtaposed to fantasy minaudière designs, sculptural clutches and embellished mini bags displaying brands’ craftsmanship and doubling as objects of art.
    — Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Set amid a row of dive bars on a vaguely insalubrious block of Lower Decatur is the anonymous bar and restaurant that started the city’s mini-Tiki trend.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of mini
Noun
  • Den Haas said the infant was one of two hidden beneath bananas and luggage on a passenger bus in southern Sumatra.
    — Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Tools to identify a disrupted maternal and infant gut microbiome are already being developed, but screening without a protocol for what to do next is incomplete medicine.
    — Holly Baines, STAT, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of infant
Noun
  • The former weapon of mass destruction has been in hiding for some time, but a bounty hunter tracks him down and disrupts his quiet life before also discovering a young man who appears to be Vision’s son.
    — Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The jury members, comprising eight men and four women, took their place in Courtroom 3 of Southwark Crown Court for the first time.
    — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of man

Phrases Containing baby

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babushkas
baby
baby buggies
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Cite this Entry

“Baby.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/baby. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on baby

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about baby

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