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Synonyms

pregnant

1 American  
[preg-nuhnt] / ˈprɛg nənt /

adjective

  1. having a child or other offspring developing in the body; with child or young, as a woman or female mammal.

  2. fraught, filled, or abounding (usually followed bywith ).

    a silence pregnant with suspense.

  3. teeming or fertile; rich (often followed byin ).

    a mind pregnant in ideas.

  4. full of meaning; highly significant.

    a pregnant utterance.

  5. of great importance or potential; momentous.

    a pregnant moment in the history of the world.


pregnant 2 American  
[preg-nuhnt] / ˈprɛg nənt /

adjective

Archaic.
  1. convincing; cogent.

    a pregnant argument.


pregnant British  
/ ˈprɛɡnənt /

adjective

  1. carrying a fetus or fetuses within the womb

  2. full of meaning or significance

  3. inventive or imaginative

  4. prolific or fruitful

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • pregnantly adverb
  • pregnantness noun

Etymology

Origin of pregnant1

1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin praegnant- (stem of praegnāns ), variant of praegnās, equivalent to prae- pre- + *gnāt- (akin to ( g ) nātus born, gignere to bring into being) + -s nominative singular ending

Origin of pregnant1

1350–1400; Middle English preignant < Old French, present participle of preindre, earlier priembre to press 1 < Latin premere. print

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.

But it isn’t long before Matty realizes something is very wrong, particularly with the pregnant mother in the front seat.

From Los Angeles Times

It will give workers access to sick pay and paternity leave from the first day on the job and contains new protections for pregnant women and new mothers.

From BBC

“I’m a geriatric pregnant spinster who puts crystals in her bra,” Helen says in an unusual moment of self-awareness.

From The Wall Street Journal

As this new book is released, the autism community is also grappling with another controversy: the unsubstantiated assertion by Kennedy that Tylenol use by pregnant women poses an increased risk of autism.

From Salon

About a decade later, pregnant with twins, she says she prayed every night, scared and asking for help.

From BBC