parental

adjective

Definition of parentalnext
as in protective

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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 parental But fiction and memoirs focusing on gender identity and LGBTQ+ issues have increasingly become targets of censorship, abetted by right-wing parental rights groups like Moms for Liberty. — Susan Farrell, The Conversation, 2 Oct. 2026 Current law allowed exemptions for minors under 18 who obtain parental permission and a court order. — Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 30 Sep. 2026 Additionally, parental controls are provided to block harmful material and foster a kid-friendly environment. — George Yang, PC Magazine, 29 Sep. 2026 Latif is conflicted by his double life, bewildered by his doubling of parental responsibilities, constantly trying to think two moves ahead yet always ending up three steps behind. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 28 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for parental
  1. protective
  2. supportive
  3. maternal
  4. caring
Adjective
  • Trump has repeatedly insisted that the damage to the Reflecting Pool resulted from intentional vandalism, claiming that vandals cut a gash hundreds of feet long in the pool’s protective lining.
    — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2026
  • With methane—a potent greenhouse gas—ousted from the atmosphere, and the creation of the UV-protective ozone layer (which still shields us from the sun’s rays today), the Earth began to cool and experienced one of its earliest ice ages.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of protective
Adjective
  • But the study also found that fewer than half of employees agreed that their organizations encouraged transparent communication or invested in developing fair and supportive managers.
    — Michael Corvini, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Wireless, supportive, and simple to store, this is the purchase your home’s been missing all along.
    — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of supportive
Adjective
  • Her confessions look like maternal desperation rather than the truth.
    — Kayti Burt, Time, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The small, troubled Trask family represents isolation, generational trauma and dysfunctional cycles in contrast to the large, loving and morally grounded Hamilton family, who are modeled after Steinbeck’s own maternal ancestors.
    — Senior Television, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of maternal
Adjective
  • Moore's family remembered him as a caring person who always helped others.
    — Jessie DiMartino, ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The scout, herself an alum of the contest, sees Ericka as the best way for Ghana to get attention, and the tables begin to turn on Paulina to the chagrin of the caring if pragmatic headmistress, Francis (Heather Alicia Simms).
    — Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of caring

Browse Nearby Words

parentages
parental
parented
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Cite this Entry

“Parental.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/parental. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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