as in mom
a female human parent
I told my ma that on Mother's Day we'd be dining at the town's toniest restaurant
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 ma
The driver of the vehicle — identified as a 73-year-old ma — was arrested.
—
Michael Cabanatuan, SFChronicle.com, 16 Mar. 2020
Make sure to order off the ma-la menu, which is the chef's specialty.
—The Washington Post, 26 Feb. 2020
All-inclusive fetes (also known as parties), boat rides, cooler fetes, j’ouvert and pretty mas on the road for Carnival Monday and Tuesday are a small sampling of things happening during Trinidad Carnival.
—Anquanette Gaspard, Essence, 30 Dec. 2019
Look ma, no cash:Will 2020 mark the start of a decade when Americans finally ditch cash and use digital wallets, credit cards?
—Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, 23 Dec. 2019
See All Example Sentences for ma
Michael Cabanatuan, SFChronicle.com, 16 Mar. 2020
Make sure to order off the ma-la menu, which is the chef's specialty.
—The Washington Post, 26 Feb. 2020
All-inclusive fetes (also known as parties), boat rides, cooler fetes, j’ouvert and pretty mas on the road for Carnival Monday and Tuesday are a small sampling of things happening during Trinidad Carnival.
—Anquanette Gaspard, Essence, 30 Dec. 2019
Look ma, no cash:Will 2020 mark the start of a decade when Americans finally ditch cash and use digital wallets, credit cards?
—Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, 23 Dec. 2019
See All Example Sentences for ma
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ma
Noun
-
Growing up, my family spent summers on Cape Cod, where my mom now lives and runs a coffee shop.—
Kat Chen,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Jaime Pressly's eldest son Dezi (with ex Eric Cubiche) gave the thumbs up for mom to jump in for a photo ahead of his senior prom in 2025.—
Lindy Segal,
PEOPLE,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
That music was one of the only ways to communicate with his mom and formed the soundtrack to the mother and son’s happiest moments.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The film explores a teenager’s struggles in 1998 alongside his mother’s repressed trauma from the 1948 Jeju April 3 Uprising.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The oldest of her three sons, Fernando is one of the prouder mama’s boys on the planet.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Apr. 2026
-
This is somebody’s mama, get her out of here!—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ma.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ma. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
