1
as in to nurse
to give milk to from the breast
wet-nursed the woman's baby until she was well enough to do it herself
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in to spoil
to treat with great or excessive care
recent college grads quickly learn that employers won't wet-nurse them the way that their teachers did
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of wet-nurse
With nowhere else to turn, Karoline takes on the role of a wet-nurse.
—
Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline, 19 Sep. 2024
In von Horn’s pic, set in post WW1 Copenhagen, the focal point is Karoline (Sonne), a young pregnant factory worker, who takes on the job of a wet-nurse for the charismatic Dagmar (Dyrholm) in order to escape poverty.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 19 May 2024
Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline, 19 Sep. 2024
In von Horn’s pic, set in post WW1 Copenhagen, the focal point is Karoline (Sonne), a young pregnant factory worker, who takes on the job of a wet-nurse for the charismatic Dagmar (Dyrholm) in order to escape poverty.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 19 May 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wet-nurse
Verb
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This is a fast-track nursing degree program for individuals who hold a bachelor’s degree in a field other than nursing.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Women dominate among American stars, including alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin, snowboarder Chloe Kim and downhill skier Lindsay Vonn, making a comeback at 41 and nursing a knee injury but still hopeful to compete.—
Greg Cote
February 1,
Miami Herald,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
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That made kid gloves the perfect choice for a servant handling fine silverware, where even a fingerprint could spoil the dinner presentation.—
Scott Neuman,
NPR,
4 Feb. 2026
-
The Clippers tried to spoil the party, but Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets rode the good vibes of his return across the finish line.—
Oc Register,
Oc Register,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The pups have the epicurean delight of suckling one of the highest fat-content milks in the animal kingdom.—
John Metcalfe,
Mercury News,
24 Nov. 2025
-
Those people under him are suckling on his piggly-wiggly titties.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The brothers were each two years apart in age, but younger siblings were never babied; Nick recalled being on the receiving end of numerous pummelings by his older brothers.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Each new piece was crafted to be simple, functional, and beautiful, giving parents peace of mind and babies a nurturing space to grow.—
Suzanne Blake,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Nevertheless, Pearl continues to mother him.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Feb. 2026
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During the foster season, officials move captive pups into existing litters where they can be mothered by wild wolves.—
Sarah Henry,
AZCentral.com,
23 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wet-nurse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wet-nurse. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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