as in mother
of, relating to, or characteristic of a mother her maternal instincts told her that something was wrong

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of maternal Her maternal instinct duly soothed and her savior complex fulfilled, Laura is ready to give Cherry a chance. Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2025 Her maternal grandparents were both nationally ranked sprinters in track. Bill Center, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Sep. 2025 Access to maternal care is a big part of the problem, as the MSDH report highlights. Tabitha St. Bernard-Jacobs, Parents, 8 Sep. 2025 The new Prime Video miniseries The Girlfriend is about Laura, a well-to-do American expat living in London whose maternal instincts come out when her young-adult son Daniel starts dating Cherry, a working-class woman who’s clearly a gold digger, and possibly dangerous beyond that. Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 8 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for maternal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maternal
Adjective
  • But many traits, including conscientiousness and overall happiness, are heavily influenced by parental actions, writes Brooks.
    Tom Huddleston Jr., CNBC, 17 Sep. 2025
  • The company says parental oversight will arrive by the end of September.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • For example, data from January 2024 showed that 37% of users had typically feminine names, among users with names that could be read as either masculine or feminine.
    Dylan Butts,Shreya Ghosal, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2025
  • Athletique There is something edgy yet soft about a funnel-neck in a technical fabric—lean in and pair a wind- and water-resistant shell with trousers and sneakers for a touch of sport, or style it with a pencil skirt and kitten heels for a more feminine feel.
    Andrea Zendejas, Vogue, 16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The portrayal appears to suggest that motherly attributes are solely within the realm of being loving, caring, comforting, protective, sheltering, and so on.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2025
  • In that situation, some new parents might have chosen to wait and see how things progressed, but Randall's motherly instincts told her action was required.
    Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Maternal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maternal. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.

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