spouse

noun

ˈspau̇s How to pronounce spouse (audio)
Definition of spousenext
as in partner
the person to whom another is married employees and their spouses are covered by the health plan

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 spouse At the most basic level, a prenup is a contract would-be spouses sign before getting hitched. — Victoria Bekiempis, Vulture, 1 July 2026 Do those exceptions include your spouse inheriting your credit card debt, though? — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 1 July 2026 If the deceased spouse's job provided coverage, the survivor and dependents may qualify for up to 36 months of COBRA continuation, often requiring a decision within 60 days, at full premium cost. — Christine Michel Carter, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for spouse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spouse
  1. partner
  2. husband
  3. wife
Noun
  • Aldo Álvarez started Mercatoria, another online delivery service, in 2021 with three other Cuban partners.
    — Rick Jervis, USA Today, 1 July 2026
  • Other founders made connections that led to funding, customers, and strategic partners.
    — Lisa Curtis, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of partner
Noun
  • Avila’s sister, Patricia Avila, who was also on the job when the mauling took place, was awarded $885,000 for emotional distress, and Maria Avila’s husband, Oscar Olivo, was separately awarded $50,000.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 1 July 2026
  • She is survived by her husband, Rodney Timson, and their two sons.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
Definition of husband
Noun
  • The Seasnake, who has lost his wife and his heir to her war, is justifiably livid.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 6 July 2026
  • His third wife, Cuban model Sheila Mariño, gave birth to their son in June.
    — Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA Today, 6 July 2026
Definition of wife

Browse Nearby Words

spousal
spouse
spouses
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Spouse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spouse. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on spouse

Nglish: Translation of spouse for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All