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

“Today” co-anchor Savannah Guthrie renewed her plea for information regarding her 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie, whose disappearance nearly six months ago has baffled investigators and left her family searching for answers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026

"I'd explained to her that knitting was the only thing helping my mother through the grief, it was giving her something to live for... It was just cruel."

From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026

Stern: After the 13th Amendment was ratified in 1865, Turner’s mother brought a habeas petition under the federal Constitution.

From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026

In a video posted to her Instagram account Monday, Guthrie said her family is “in a nightmare that will not end,” and asked potential kidnappers where to look for her mother.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026

Hord had been with the Red Deer Clan, and Torak’s mother had been Red Deer.

From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver

The dose was low enough that the mothers did not become significantly ill.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 25, 2026

True stories of love, struggle and heartbreak between mothers and the women they raised.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026

Now, she’s founded For All Mothers+, a nonprofit that supports mothers with resources, research and services such as childcare grants.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026

There were times I feared nothing would change, but these mothers were absolutely determined, their daughters driving them on.

From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026

The world was full of people with missing mothers, broken families.

From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman

Playing a 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

"But she also knew that mother is a verb as well as a noun and mothered so many others along the way who needed love and support throughout her life," she said.

From BBC ● Jun. 25, 2022

Nothing makes you want to be mothered quite so much as becoming a mother yourself.

From New York Times ● Feb. 1, 2022

She had mothered him since he turned up in her bilingual-education classroom in Washington, D.C., a scrawny 10-year-old fresh from El Salvador.

From Washington Post ● Jan. 18, 2021

She wore satin gloves up to the elbow and mothered a long line of smelly dachshunds with tearstained eyes.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides

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

After our fertility journey, 10 years of trying, me birthing this piece of art was me mothering my creativity into existence.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2025

“Well, I do think of them as my children in most ways. I never could get over my mothering instincts — did Edward tell you I had lost a child?”

From "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer

Vocabulary lists containing mother

The Mother of All Lists: Mater, Matr

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