gestation

noun

je-ˈstā-shən How to pronounce gestation (audio)
Definition of gestationnext
as in pregnancy
the state of containing unborn young within the body the length of gestation for the gray wolf is about 63 days

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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 gestation While there are various causes, many miscarriages occur because the unborn baby does not develop properly during gestation. — Edward Segarra, USA Today, 7 July 2026 The sustained gestation the placenta enabled supported larger, more metabolically expensive brains. — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026 Children were also more likely to be diagnosed with autism and ADHD if their fathers took antidepressants during their gestation, even if their mothers did not — an association that suggests a genetic link, not a pharmacological one. — Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2026 Last month, the House of Representatives agreed to do their bidding by tucking a provision in the Farm Bill that would abrogate state humane farming laws that ban gestation, veal, and battery crates. — Krista Kafer, Denver Post, 18 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for gestation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gestation
pregnancy
Noun
  • When a person is immunized during pregnancy, the risk of symptomatic disease fell by 44% in their newborns up to 6 months old.
    — Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The team parted ways with Meila Brewer on Wednesday, and Ellie Bravo-Young also announced her pregnancy, leaving the team a couple players short defensively through the stretch run this season.
    — Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of pregnancy

Browse Nearby Words

gest
gestation
gestational
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Cite this Entry

“Gestation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gestation. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on gestation

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about gestation

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