weaned; weaning; weans
1
: to accustom (a young child or animal) to take food otherwise than by nursing
2
: to detach from a source of dependence
being weaned off the medication
wean the bears from human food—
Sports Illus.
Sports Illus.
also
: to free from a usually unwholesome habit or interest
wean him off his excessive drinking
settling his soldiers on the land … , weaning them from habits of violence —Geoffrey Carnall
Geoffrey Carnall 3
: to accustom to something from an early age
—used in the passive especially with on
students weaned on the Internet for research
I was weaned on greasepaint—Helen Hayes
Helen Hayesthe principles upon which he had been weaned—J. A. Michener
J. A. MichenerExamples of wean in a Sentence
The calves are weaned at an early age.
Recent Examples on the Web
Yet so many people want to attempt the world’s oldest 100-mile race, which turned 50 last weekend, that organizers use a lottery each year to wean the nearly 10,000 applicants down to a field of 375.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2024
Based on higher levels of particular carbon and nitrogen isotopes found in their bones, the researchers think these juvenile animals might not have even been weaned yet, which means that the people of this agrarian society were willing to accept less meat yield for higher quality meat.
—Elizabeth Rayne, Ars Technica, 6 July 2024
The elephants were gradually weaned off the goat milk and human contact sharply limited.
—Rael Ombuor, Washington Post, 28 June 2024
The review, which included 79 studies capturing 21,000 patients, found that about 15% experienced withdrawal symptoms after weaning from antidepressants.
—Annalisa Merelli, STAT, 5 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for wean 
Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2024
Based on higher levels of particular carbon and nitrogen isotopes found in their bones, the researchers think these juvenile animals might not have even been weaned yet, which means that the people of this agrarian society were willing to accept less meat yield for higher quality meat.
—Elizabeth Rayne, Ars Technica, 6 July 2024
The elephants were gradually weaned off the goat milk and human contact sharply limited.
—Rael Ombuor, Washington Post, 28 June 2024
The review, which included 79 studies capturing 21,000 patients, found that about 15% experienced withdrawal symptoms after weaning from antidepressants.
—Annalisa Merelli, STAT, 5 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for wean
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wean.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Wean.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wean. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
wean
verb1
: to get a child or young animal used to food other than its mother's milk
2
: to turn (one) away from something long desired or followed
wean a person from a bad habit
Medical Definition
wean
transitive verb1
: to accustom (as an infant or young child) to take food otherwise than by nursing
2
: to detach usually gradually from a cause of dependence or form of treatment
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