stepparent

noun

step·​par·​ent ˈstep-ˌper-ənt How to pronounce stepparent (audio)
: a person who is a stepmother or stepfather

Examples of stepparent in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The credit can also be claimed by foster parents as well as other relatives, such as grandparents or stepparents, as long as the child meets the IRS' eligibility requirements. Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 1 Feb. 2024 Family members also come to understand and respect in a basic sense the stepparent’s important role. Amy Dickinson, Chicago Tribune, 29 Jan. 2024 Last month the country star revealed some of the challenging aspects of being a stepparent. Kirsty Hatcher, Peoplemag, 15 Dec. 2023 After getting together, the pair welcomed three children — King, Major and Heiress — while also assuming the role of stepparents to their older children. Vandana Pawa, Peoplemag, 28 Nov. 2023 This could include how kids address stepparents, how often the other parent can communicate when the child isn’t with them, or even children disrespecting the stepparent. Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 28 Mar. 2022 Though the couple have welcomed children of their own, Tucci has previously opened up about his wife initially taking on the role of a stepparent to his three oldest children during an August 2017 interview with The Guardian. Francesca Gariano, Peoplemag, 5 July 2023 Even if older siblings and other family members like aunts, uncles, stepparents, and grandparents went to a four-year college and finished their degree, you are still considered a first-gen college student, Johnson says. Leah Campano, Seventeen, 27 Mar. 2023 The number of domestic infants relinquished in private adoptions that did not involve a stepparent has dropped about 2% a year since 2012 to 19,658 in 2020, according to the National Council for Adoption, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization for adoption professionals and research. Sydney Trent, Anchorage Daily News, 18 July 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stepparent.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1840, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stepparent was in 1840

Dictionary Entries Near stepparent

Cite this Entry

“Stepparent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stepparent. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

stepparent

noun
step·​par·​ent ˈstep-ˌpar-ənt How to pronounce stepparent (audio)
-ˌper-
: a person who is a stepmother or stepfather

More from Merriam-Webster on stepparent

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