child

noun

ˈchī(-ə)ld How to pronounce child (audio)
Definition of childnext
1
as in kid
a young person who is between infancy and adulthood an imaginative animated film that appeals to adults as well as to children

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in baby
a recently born person wrapped the child in a blanket before taking him outside in the cold

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in outcome
a condition or occurrence traceable to a cause widespread stress is the child of the frenetic pace of the modern world

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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 child Lebanon’s Health Ministry and state news agency said one strike targeted a home on the edge of the village of Ansar and killed seven people, including three children, and wounded two. — ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026 Instead of children getting hooked on phones, parents should start them reading at an early age. — Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2026 Does your child need fancy notebooks, a planner, or the latest organizational gadget? — Adrienne Farr, Parents, 15 Aug. 2026 Ellison was found lying on her bed after her roommates first discovered her 13-month-old child crying on a couch in the living room, according to Glowacz’s arrest report. — Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 15 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for child
Recent Examples of Synonyms for child
  1. kid
  2. baby
  3. outcome
  4. infant
  5. result
  6. toddler
  7. resultant
  8. boy
Noun
  • Writer Brad Bird confirmed there will not be a time jump in the third movie, keeping the Parr kids Violet, Dash and Jack-Jack at their original ages.
    — Mya Copeland, Variety, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Families can also participate in daily arts and crafts sessions, with materials provided on request and staff on hand to help kids create their own souvenirs.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of kid
Noun
  • The sound of a baby crying helped Atlanta police find two young sisters inside a trailer Monday, bringing an overnight kidnapping investigation to a safe end.
    — CBS News Atlanta Digital Team, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The Norwood procedure is one of three operations required in the first several years of life for a baby with the syndrome, known as HLHS, Budner said.
    — Phil Helsel, NBC news, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of baby
Noun
  • Rather than risk that outcome, the entire family chose to move to Mexico together.
    — Maria Santana, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026
  • The most likely outcomes in my mind are Makhachev controlling Garry for the majority of the fight and winning a clear decision, or perhaps submitting him.
    — Brett Appley, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of outcome
Noun
  • The federal government will look to deport a man accused of illegally operating a boat that capsized in New York Harbor this month, killing a woman and her infant daughter.
    — Joe Kottke, NBC news, 20 Aug. 2026
  • But when a desperate woman carrying an infant appears outside his sanctuary, Parish is forced to choose between compassion and survival.
    — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of infant
Noun
  • No cause or manner of death has been determined, pending the results of additional testing.
    — Holly Yan, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026
  • An impromptu survey on Wednesday afternoon found more mixed results.
    — Brittney Ermon, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of result
Noun
  • Multiple bullets pierced Bridegan’s body and vehicle – one just inches from his toddler, Bexley, who was uninjured and crying, still strapped into her car seat, according to CNN affiliate WJXT, which cited prosecutors.
    — Danya Gainor, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Several of the jurors were either toddlers when the killing occurred, or hadn't yet been born.
    — Sasha Pezenik, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of toddler
Noun
  • Christy Ucheibe scored the resultant penalty to set up a tense finale.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Their resultant study published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters documents one of the rarest cosmic occurrences on record, while also raising new questions about what’s possible during a supernova explosion.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of resultant
Noun
  • The original film follows a young boy named Miguel who feels a calling to music against his family’s wishes.
    — Matt Minton, Variety, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Fans may recall that Agatha helped Bill track down the soul of his twin, Tommy (aka Speed), and place him into the body of a teen boy who drowned, Thomas Shepherd.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of boy

Phrases Containing child

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chignons
child
child's play
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Cite this Entry

“Child.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/child. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on child

Nglish: Translation of child for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about child

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