pregnancy

noun

ˈpreg-nən(t)-sē How to pronounce pregnancy (audio)
Definition of pregnancynext
as in gestation
the state of containing unborn young within the body an elephant's pregnancy can last almost two years

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 pregnancy It’s also recommended during late pregnancy to protect infants born during RSV season. — Lauran Neergaard, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026 Underlying conditions that contribute to higher risk of severe COVID-19 include but are not limited to cancer, asthma, chronic lung disease, diabetes, heart conditions, mental health conditions and pregnancy. — Ava Tsapatsaris, ABC News, 2 Sep. 2026 At 24 weeks, her blood pressure started to climb, and eventually, she was admitted to a hospital for the remainder of her pregnancy. — Megha Satyanarayana, Scientific American, 2 Sep. 2026 So pregnant people can get the vaccine in only a single pregnancy. — Helen Branswell, STAT, 2 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pregnancy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pregnancy
gestation
Noun
  • Raelynn Kubiske was born almost four months early, at 23 weeks and six days gestation on July 18, 2025.
    — Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The new songs on Goin’ Local are the result of a slow gestation period over several years, some beginning more than a decade ago with his co-producer Tony Shanahan, bassist from the Patti Smith Group.
    — Steve Appleford, SPIN, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of gestation

Browse Nearby Words

prefiguring
pregnancy
pregnant
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on pregnancy

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pregnancy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All