Thesaurus results for COPULATING

copulating 1 of 2

noun

as in sex

sexual union involving penetration of the vagina by the penis our Puritan forebears imposed severe penalties for copulating outside of marriage

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copulating

2 of 2

verb

present participle of copulate

as in sleeping

to engage in sexual intercourse the time of year when deer in the wild are likely to copulate

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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 copulating

Verb

While copulating, female praying mantises often kill their mates and eat them. — Elizabeth Kolbert, New Yorker, 22 June 2026 And finally, wouldn’t being near-perfectly still for an hour make a pair of copulating octopuses ridiculously exposed to predators? — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 2 Apr. 2026 After copulating, the two males lay immobile on the seafloor as the female swam away. — Jack Guy, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for copulating

Noun

The crab digs shallow burrows for mating and molting and frequently maintains several burrows within its territory, the USGS report states.

— Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
The gear’s teeth and internal ribs came through clearly, as did the clip’s narrow gate and mating features.

— Michael Lydick, PC Magazine, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of mating

Verb

On June 24, Matis blew through a stop sign and slammed into a home on the 2900 block of Southwest 57th Avenue, where Bezy was sleeping.

— Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2026
Health organizations, including Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, say too much caffeine can cause significant side effects, including tremors, anxiety, difficulty sleeping, seizures and other complications.

— ABC News, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of sleeping

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“Copulating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/copulating. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of copulating

noun

verb

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