as in pregnancy
the state of containing unborn young within the body
the length of gestation for the gray wolf is about 63 days
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Recent Examples of gestation
According to the medical center, Cryptic pregnancies are rare, with studies suggesting about 1 in 475 pregnancies go unnoticed until about 20 weeks gestation, while about 1 in 2,500 pregnancies go unnoticed until delivery.
—
Clare Fisher, PEOPLE, 7 Jan. 2026
When commenced before 10 weeks’ gestation, the two-drug method is effective about 98% of the time.
—Rachel Rebouché, The Conversation, 10 Dec. 2025
Because pandas' gestation periods are short, babies are born small, weighing just a few ounces.
—CBS News, 7 Dec. 2025
In the study, which was funded by BrightHeart, researchers examined a set of 200 fetal ultrasound examinations between 18 and 24 weeks of gestation from 11 medical centers across two countries.
—Lauren Giella, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gestation
Clare Fisher, PEOPLE, 7 Jan. 2026
When commenced before 10 weeks’ gestation, the two-drug method is effective about 98% of the time.
—Rachel Rebouché, The Conversation, 10 Dec. 2025
Because pandas' gestation periods are short, babies are born small, weighing just a few ounces.
—CBS News, 7 Dec. 2025
In the study, which was funded by BrightHeart, researchers examined a set of 200 fetal ultrasound examinations between 18 and 24 weeks of gestation from 11 medical centers across two countries.
—Lauren Giella, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gestation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gestation
pregnancy
Noun
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With her second pregnancy, Wallin did not have access to the test through a study and it wasn't covered by insurance.—
Nicole Villalpando,
Austin American Statesman,
7 Feb. 2026
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Often, mothers in neonaticide cases conceal their pregnancies from those around them and give birth in secret, then dispose of the body after the baby is born.—
Shira Moolten,
Sun Sentinel,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gestation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gestation. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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