Definitions

mother

[muhth-er] / ˈmʌð ər /

NOUN

female person who has borne children

Synonyms

STRONGEST

mom parent

STRONG

ancestor creator mommy origin predecessor progenitor source

WEAK

child-bearer forebearer procreator

Antonyms

STRONG

descendant effect end result

WEAK

father

Frequently Asked Questions

What is another word for mother?

There are many synonyms for mother. The most common is mom, which is an informal, familiar version of mother. The equivalent mum is commonly used in the U.K. and other places. An even more informal and familiar word is mommy, which is especially used by children. A similarly informal word is mama (and its alternate spellings momma and mamma). All of these terms should be capitalized when they’re used as a way of addressing someone (in other words, when they’re used as a name or a substitute for a name). A mother is a parent. A term that specifically references the role of a mother in bearing a child is child-bearer. The term birthing parent is sometimes used as a gender-neutral term in the context of pregnancy and childbirth. A mother who’s the leader of a family might be called a matriarch. Because mothers are traditionally associated with nurture and caregiving, related words are sometimes used as synonyms, such as nurturer and caregiver. Mother is also sometimes used as a verb meaning to care for someone as a mother or like a mother. Sometimes, it’s used in a negative way that implies that a person is smothering or being overbearing toward the person, as in Please don’t mother me—I can take care of myself.

How do you use mother in a sentence?

Mother is most commonly used as a noun, but it can also be a verb. As a noun, it’s capitalized when it’s used as a name or a substitute for a name. Here are some examples of mother in a sentence:

I’ve always wanted to be a mother.
You should really listen to Mother—she has your best interests in mind.
It’s just her nature to try to mother anyone who looks like they need help.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

mother mothers mothered mothering

Manson was born Charles Maddox in Cincinnati to a single mother in 1934.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026

Krissy West, a school physical therapist and mother from New Hampshire, started advocating for more recess last year, after seeing her daughter Daisy get overwhelmed, sometimes resulting in tantrums after school.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026

So was Sheila, his mother, and he loves that because he's given his mother everything she didn't have.

From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026

First Lady Melania Trump, who is Barron's mother, and Melania's father Viktor Knavs are both due to attend with the US president.

From Barron's ● Jul. 19, 2026

“For your mother, Corrie,” Tine said, holding out the flowers as I opened the door.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

Williams’ announcement gave the conflict a modern frame, but the question of whether mothers belong in sport has been argued for generations.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026

Upstairs, children pore over schoolbooks, mothers prepare lunch and television sets flicker in cramped living rooms, all against the constant background noise of shredders whining and baling presses pounding below.

From Barron's ● Jul. 18, 2026

One of the subject’s mothers explains that she had to leave home for work, so her son was deprived even of maternal influence.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 16, 2026

Mũgwe wa Njũhĩ, an official of the Kikuyu cultural group Kiama Kĩa Ma, agrees male relatives of single mothers may deny the use of their name to avoid inheritance disputes.

From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026

"And his mother and father were born in Womengo. Their mothers and fathers were born in Womengo. It is sad that we will not see our village ever again."

From "Black Star, Bright Dawn" by Scott O'Dell

Playing a childless, vain, pitch-perfect vision of Los Angeles’ wickedness in “Maps to the Stars,” Julianne Moore mothered so hard she almost separated California right down the San Andreas fault line.

From Salon ● May 10, 2026

"She's not eating, being sick, because she mothered her," she said.

From BBC ● Apr. 13, 2025

Missing being mothered has driven her to cultivate her Spanish skills, after a college counselor hints that “focusing on a new syntax of any kind could become an escape hatch into new habits of mind.”

From Washington Post ● Mar. 13, 2023

Britney Spears’ public spat with her ex-husband escalated late Wednesday night when Federline uploaded three videos taken by the former spouses’ sons, Jayden and Sean Federline, as their mother, um, mothered them.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2022

Davy baked and left cookies on my bed, and she always monitored my health and mothered me with homemade soup when I was sick.

From "Hole in My Life" by Jack Gantos

Would my mothering improve before the baby was born?

From Slate ● May 10, 2026

In her new Netflix movie “Goodbye June,” she’s the one who needs mothering.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 15, 2025

I just really, like, I can’t imagine mothering without their help, because they’re just so in tune to each other.

From Salon ● Nov. 2, 2025

And it behooves city fathers and mothers to take this sentiment seriously, if they wish to keep mothering and fathering.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 5, 2024

There was no point in flying us across the country for next to no mothering.

From "One Crazy Summer" by Rita Williams-Garcia

Vocabulary lists containing mother

The Mother of All Lists: Mater, Matr

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