Young people can recognize this about romantic love, but they find it hard to accept the same fierce element in parental affection.
Source: tatoeba (265813)
Parental
/pəˈɹɛn.təl/
Synonyms for "parental" (64 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (13)
Strong matches (19)
Related words (32)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: adoring, affectionate, ancestorial, ancestral, conjugal.
- Sentence evidence is available for parental, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, opengloss, wordnet.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "parental".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "parental"
Keep "parental" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "parental" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "parental", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "parental" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
6 entriescaregiving stylefamily interactionfamily relationguardian rolelegal authorityrelational attribute
More specific
6 entriesCollocations
6 entriesparental consentparental guidanceparental involvementparental leaveparental responsibilityparental rights
Inflections
2 entriesmore parentalmost parental
Derivations
4 entriesAntonyms
1 entriesTranslations
34 translations across 26 languages.
Albanian
2 entries- prindëror adj (relating to parent)
- prindërore adj (relating to parent)
Arabic
1 entries- وَالِدِيّ adj (relating to parent)
Aromanian
2 entries- pãrinteascã adj (relating to parent)
- pãrintescu adj (relating to parent)
Belarusian
3 entries- ба́цькаўскі adj (relating to parent)
- бацько́ўскі adj (relating to parent)
- радзі́цельскі adj (relating to parent)
Bulgarian
1 entries- роди́телски adj (relating to parent)
Catalan
1 entries- parental adj (relating to parent)
Czech
1 entries- rodičovský adj (relating to parent)
Dutch
1 entries- ouderlijk adj (relating to parent)
Esperanto
1 entries- gepatra adj (relating to parent)
Finnish
1 entries- vanhempien adj (relating to parent)
French
1 entries- parental adj (relating to parent)
German
1 entries- elterlich adj (relating to parent)
Greek
2 entries- γονεϊκός adj (relating to parent)
- γονικός adj (relating to parent)
Hungarian
1 entries- szülői adj (relating to parent)
Italian
1 entries- parentale adj (relating to parent)
Latin
1 entries- parentālis adj (relating to parent)
Macedonian
1 entries- родителски adj (relating to parent)
Polish
1 entries- rodzicielski adj (relating to parent)
Portuguese
1 entries- parental adj (relating to parent)
Romanian
2 entries- părintească adj (relating to parent)
- părintesc adj (relating to parent)
Russian
1 entries- роди́тельский adj (relating to parent)
Serbo-Croatian
2 entries- ròditeljskī adj (relating to parent)
- ро̀дитељскӣ adj (relating to parent)
Slovak
1 entries- rodičovský adj (relating to parent)
Slovene
1 entries- starševski adj (relating to parent)
Spanish
1 entries- parental adj (relating to parent)
Ukrainian
2 entries- ба́тьківський adj (relating to parent)
- роди́тельський adj (relating to parent)
Sample sentences
12 total sentences available.
The hero, as a child, suffered from parental neglect.
Source: tatoeba (265863)
He leaves the parental roof soon.
Source: tatoeba (292935)
She had chosen to succumb to parental pressure.
Source: tatoeba (2060837)
Showing 4 of 12 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "parental"?
Closest matches include adoring, affectionate, ancestorial, ancestral, conjugal.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "parental"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.