MOTHERING Synonyms: 75 Similar and Opposite Words

mothering 1 of 2

noun

as in motherhood

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mothering

2 of 2

verb

present participle of mother

as in having

to bring forth from the womb I hope to mother at least one child

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in nursing

to attend to the needs and comforts of mothered the patients with chicken soup

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 mothering

Noun

The cultural ascendance of intensive mothering, in which mothers are deemed entirely responsible for their children’s well-being and success, has upped the ante. — Marianne Cooper, Time, 5 Aug. 2026 To make their point perfectly clear, women are sharing photos of themselves breastfeeding in front of Old Masters paintings in museums that depict the very same mothering act. — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 6 July 2026 Yet the history of motherhood has remained largely untold, and the narrative is not often driven by the people who do the actual mothering. — Holly Corbett, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026 Each statue the perfect epitome of silent, mothering, virginal womanhood that Ireland had come to worship. — Literary Hub, 8 May 2026 Suzanne O’Donnell, an accomplished regional theater actor with a lot of Shakespeare on her resume, plays Penrose as both a warm mothering figure to these two occasionally babyish men but does not downplay the character’s pragmatic side. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 21 Apr. 2026 For almost a century, since the dawn of mass screen entertainment, society has passed through waves of panic over media’s effects on children, which have often coincided with panics over the effects of various kinds of mothering. — Jean Garnett, New Yorker, 18 Apr. 2026 In response to the mothering of a sister, a brother has options—resist, lash out, put up with it, become utterly dependent on it. — Christine Smallwood, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026 Kate had changed her hair into a stylish bob — but apparently hadn’t updated her mothering skills — two years later when, in the sequel, Kevin again was discovered missing, at the Miami airport. — Jocelyn Noveck, Mercury News, 5 Feb. 2026

Verb

Somehow mothering four children, leading a massive pop resurgence, and still making time for a fun night with her girlfriends for a glass of wine (or seven). — Edward Segarra, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026 Key strands of the film are about mothering with laser focus on the parents played by Okonedo and Mallen. — Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 13 Feb. 2026 Really, the album is about tiring of mothering men who are great in bed but lack crucial social skills. — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2025 And as the following selections from the archives of The Christian Science Publishing Society show, prayer can bring out more of how God is mothering, comforting, and preserving us right here and now. — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 8 May 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for mothering

Noun

Longer-term space travel will require serious conversations about motherhood, family and health.

— Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 9 Oct. 2026
The 65-minute show at the Wallis, which moves to South Coast Repertory on Thursday, blends cabaret, memoir and comedy, with songs about motherhood and perimenopause.

— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of motherhood

Verb

Elsewhere in the conversation, both musicians found common ground on the downsides of having online visibility.

— DeMicia Inman, VIBE.com, 9 Oct. 2026
According to a source, McMullen is the front-runner for the TV play-by-play job because he’s viewed as having considerable natural talent as a broadcaster.

— Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of having

Verb

Beyond the repartee between Nick and Sam, Addy and Wyatt share a sibling-like relationship that could turn into something more, especially since Wyatt is nursing a broken heart following the sudden end of his engagement.

— Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 6 Oct. 2026
The Lakers played without Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler, who are nursing injuries.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of nursing

Verb

After scoring a touchdown and producing 60 total yards (53 receiving, seven rushing) in the first half, Ashley continued to be a mismatch against BYU’s secondary.

— Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Oct. 2026
The keys are nearly silent, and the mouse is similarly quiet, producing little noise when clicking or scrolling.

— Michael Justin Allen Sexton, PC Magazine, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of producing

Verb

Of course, there’s the usual spa and sport options, but there’s also opportunities to do mandala art classes, weaving, and sound healing sessions.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Oct. 2026
There was a case in recent years where school staff noticed a student from a faith-healing family having up to 13 seizures a day, which ultimately led to a doctor going to court to say the girl needed emergency medical attention.

— Audrey Dutton, ProPublica, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of healing

Verb

CMOs are caught in the middle, trying to prove long-term brand value while delivering short-term efficiency gains.

— Derya Matras, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
Farmers, brands and consumers all deserve proof that these approaches are delivering meaningful results.

— Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 7 Oct. 2026