1
a
: the brother of one's father or mother
b
: the husband of one's aunt or uncle
2
: one who helps, advises, or encourages
3
—used as a cry of surrender
was forced to cry/say uncle [=was forced to surrender]
4
Uncle
: uncle sam
Examples of uncle in a Sentence
I have three uncles and two aunts.
My Uncle David is visiting next week.
Recent Examples on the Web
Complex magazine also reported that the number may have served as a tribute to the singer's late uncle, who wore 64 as a football player.
—
Edward Segarra, USA Today, 10 Feb. 2026
The couple hasn’t been implicated in any wrongdoing, but the entire family has been closely associated with the Jeffrey Epstein saga for years because of the late financier’s close relationship with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor—son of Queen Elizabeth II and William’s uncle.
—Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 9 Feb. 2026
My uncle passed away two years ago, shortly after the 49ers lost to Kansas City in the 2024 Super Bowl.
—Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 9 Feb. 2026
He was decked out in a custom all-white outfit, featuring a jersey bearing his mother’s last name, Ocasio, and the number 64, which is the number his uncle once wore as a football player.
—Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for uncle
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Edward Segarra, USA Today, 10 Feb. 2026
The couple hasn’t been implicated in any wrongdoing, but the entire family has been closely associated with the Jeffrey Epstein saga for years because of the late financier’s close relationship with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor—son of Queen Elizabeth II and William’s uncle.
—Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 9 Feb. 2026
My uncle passed away two years ago, shortly after the 49ers lost to Kansas City in the 2024 Super Bowl.
—Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 9 Feb. 2026
He was decked out in a custom all-white outfit, featuring a jersey bearing his mother’s last name, Ocasio, and the number 64, which is the number his uncle once wore as a football player.
—Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for uncle
Cite this Entry
“Uncle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/uncle. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
uncle
noun
un·cle
ˈəŋ-kəl 
1
: the brother of one's father or mother
2
: the husband of one's aunt or uncle
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