rug rats

noun

plural of rug rat, slang
as in preschoolers

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for rug rats
  1. infants
  2. kids
  3. toddlers
  4. minors
  5. newborn
  6. neonates
  7. youngsters
  8. chicks
Noun
  • Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, told the Inquirer that infants can catch measles after birth or be born with it if their mother is sick and develops a rash within 10 days of giving birth.
    — Finch Walker, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
  • In places where infants have a high risk of measles exposure, health authorities sometimes recommend an early dose of the vaccine for babies starting at 6 months old.
    — Erika Edwards, NBC news, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of infants
Noun
  • In the center of town, check out Inquiring Minds Bookstore for used and new books with a great kids’ section or Enoki for an eclectic mix of Asian pantry items and vintage clothing.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Meanwhile, Sky had a plan for Bake Off that would involve ditching spin-off series, including the professionals and kids’ versions.
    — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of kids
Noun
  • This age group is the most profitable for childcare providers, as the larger class sizes of pre-K children subsidize the cost of caring for infants and toddlers.
    — Lina Ruiz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Pampers also offers a size 7 (41+ pounds) for bigger toddlers.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of toddlers
Noun
  • While existing law prevents health care providers from providing gender affirming procedures for minors, the bill would bar them from performing, attempting to perform, or referring a minor for this care.
    — Emma Murphy, Oklahoma Voice, 31 Mar. 2026
Definition of minors
Noun
  • The newborn’s mother was severely ill from measles at the time of birth, according to reporting from The Atlantic, which spoke with the baby’s parents amid the uproar.
    — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 1 Sep. 2026
  • At Burdett, only about a quarter of newborns are delivered by C-section, compared with about a third statewide, according to 2025 hospital data.
    — Noam Levey, NPR, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of newborn
Noun
  • Males guard the eggs and newborn frogs, called neonates.
    — Ana V. Longo, The Conversation, 24 June 2026
  • There have been publications about nicotine transmission and neonates after blood transfusion.
    — Torie Bosch, STAT, 1 June 2026
Definition of neonates
Noun
  • In 2023, youngsters between the ages of 9 and 12 averaged six hours a day excluding school.
    — Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
  • He was involved with NASA and the Optimus Prime Spinoff Award, which is presented each year to youngsters studying space, science, technology and math.
    — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of youngsters
Noun
  • For many of this year’s chicks, the next milestone will be receiving a name on the anniversary of their hatch days next year.
    — Adela Suliman, NBC news, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The lone male, meanwhile, worked overtime to feed both nests of hungry chicks.
    — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of chicks
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Rug rats.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rug%20rats. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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