sex

noun

ˈseks How to pronounce sex (audio)
Definition of sexnext
as in intercourse
sexual union involving penetration of the vagina by the penis the students learned about the mechanics of sex and reproduction in health class

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sex
  1. mating
  2. relations
  3. sexuality
Noun
  • Against the sounds of traffic, the groups hear pigeon mating sounds and babies squeaking for food.
    — KYLE MELNICK THE WASHINGTON POST, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Males perform complex mating flights in the late summer months and into fall (August through October) which often involve intercepting prospective partners mid-air.
    — Sean Donnelly, USA Today, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of mating
Noun
  • China-Japan relations have come under heavy strain since Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told parliament in November last year that Japan could get militarily involved in the event of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan.
    — Anniek Bao,Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Questions remain over how a citizen of Oman, a country which does not have formal diplomatic relations with Israel, was authorized to co-pilot a plane bound for Tel Aviv, despite Israel’s strict security regulations.
    — Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of relations
Noun
  • The nonprofit has championed South Asian voices in film, art and storytelling since 2002, giving a platform to work on subjects such as caste, gender and sexuality.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Luca Guadagnino One of the best films of the 2010s, this drama stars Timothée Chalamet as a boy who discovers his own sexuality when he’s wooed by an older man, played by Armie Hammer.
    — Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of sexuality
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.

Phrases Containing sex

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sew up
sex
sex act
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Cite this Entry

“Sex.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sex. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on sex

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sex

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