parent 1 of 2

noun

Definition of parentnext
as in mother
a person who brings forth and raises a child The couple recently became parents for the first time. She grew up in a single parent household.

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parent

2 of 2

verb

as in to raise
to bring forth and raise to maturity through care and education They expertly parent their second child using all the lessons learned from raising their first.

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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 parent
Noun
Instead, the school should notify parents, and the child should keep attending school as they are being treated. — Emily J. C. Wong, The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2026 Indeed, strong trends at Vans, and positive data points from Timberland, has some analysts rethinking the outlook for parent firm VF Corp. — Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2026
Verb
When Duncan asked what caused his stress, Nacua mentioned a lifestyle change, under the NFL spotlight and as a new father co-parenting his 10-month-old son. — Jayna Bardahl, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026 Reminiscent of the discussions around Michael Jackson’s upbringing, this Lanterns episode has sparked specific conversations about parenting Black boys and children into greatness, and what actions constitute abusive or unhealthy parenting. — Ronda Racha Penrice, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for parent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for parent
  1. mother
  2. raise
  3. mom
  4. nurture
  5. foster
Noun
  • Richardson also announced the company plans to bring online two more rocket recovery vessels to join its existing ship, Jacklyn, named after Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos’ mother.
    — Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Helen LarkinMaribeth Ryan Maribeth’s mother, Helen Larkin, was an artist.
    — Meghan O'Brien, NBC news, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of mother
Verb
  • Hackers raised the temperature of refrigerators and freezers, sparking fires and causing food to spoil.
    — Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 13 Oct. 2026
  • People find collaborators over drinks, and someone reluctant to raise a hand in an auditorium might ask a question after a little social lubrication.
    — Philip Martin, Arkansas Online, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of raise
Noun
  • By the time his daughter shows up, flanked by her mom and upright dentist stepdad, Lee’s moved on from scolding the room to thanking his mother for believing him.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2026
  • As one of six kids of a single mom, private lessons were out of the question.
    — Rina Nakano, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of mom
Verb
  • Launched in 2024, the initiative is part of El Gouna’s CineGouna Emerge program aimed at nurturing the next generation of MENA film professionals.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The three children and a teacher shot to death at Silver Rail Elementary School in central Oregon were in a classroom dedicated to students with special needs – an environment that’s supposed to be nurturing, safe and supportive.
    — Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of nurture
Verb
  • The University of Miami has benefited from their second-year head coach’s fresh approach, which has seemingly fostered an adaptable atmosphere and innovative mind.
    — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Schmit has written about the role of state policy in fostering health information exchange and its benefits to the public, such as tracking measles outbreaks.
    — Alex Rosenblat — CalMatters, STAT, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of foster

Browse Nearby Words

pared
parent
parentage
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Cite this Entry

“Parent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/parent. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on parent

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about parent

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