parenthood
Americannoun
Usage
What does parenthood mean? Parenthood is the state of being a parent. A person enters parenthood when they become a parent. This most commonly happens when their child is born, but it can also happen through adoption or by marrying or becoming a partner to someone with children. The terms motherhood and fatherhood are gender-specific versions of parenthood. The related noun parenting can mean the same thing as parenthood, but it more commonly refers to the process of raising children or the methods and techniques used to do so, as in I didn’t know anything about parenting before I entered parenthood. Example: People who have not experienced parenthood probably shouldn’t be so quick to criticize how other people parent their children.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of parenthood
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.
If you’re a wealthy celebrity who had the foresight to freeze your eggs—or who wants to use an egg donor—it’s an expensive but relatively simple route to parenthood.
From Slate ● Oct. 16, 2026
Deaths surrounding the transition to parenthood often have more to do with social vulnerability than biology, and many of them can be prevented.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 8, 2026
But it felt key to the answer of it, and we were talking so much about parenthood and what you would do for your child and what it means.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 5, 2026
While she expected parenthood to change things - when elements of Clive's personality appeared to shift she spent years frustrated.
From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2026
“It’s funny—not long ago, parenthood wasn’t even on my mind. And these days, our goslings are all I can think about. As we speak, I can feel myself being pulled back to them, like gravity.”
From "The Wild Robot Protects" by Peter Brown
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