Synonyms

childbearing

American

[chahyld-bair-ing] / ˈtʃaɪldˌbɛər ɪŋ /

noun

the act of producing or bringing forth children.

adjective

capable of, suitable for, or relating to the bearing of a child or of children.

the childbearing years.

Etymology

Origin of childbearing

A Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at child, bearing

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Must we really dwell, ladies, on the downsides of heterosexual dating, marriage, childbearing, and domestic labor as though they are issues of life and death?

From Salon • Jun. 3, 2026

U.S. fertility rates hit record lows in 2025 as childbearing continued to shift toward older women, according to new federal data.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

Although I was certainly satisfied with the breast milk I was able to provide, I do wish I had known about D-MER during the childbearing process.

From Slate • Mar. 15, 2026

They vowed at a key economic policy meeting in December to "advocate positive views on marriage and childbearing, and strive to stabilise the number of new births" in 2026, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

From Barron's • Jan. 5, 2026

No one knows for sure, but local doctors think that as many as 30 percent of all men and women of childbearing age who live in the vicinity of Mount Elgon are infected with hiv.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023