1
a
: the brother of one's father or mother
b
: the husband of one's aunt or uncle
2
: one who helps, advises, or encourages
3
—used as a cry of surrender
was forced to cry uncle
4
capitalized
: uncle sam
Examples of uncle in a Sentence
I have three uncles and two aunts.
My Uncle David is visiting next week.
Recent Examples on the Web
Open it and look through it to bug your sister (my uncle) or mother (me).
—
Gisele Grayson, NPR, 23 May 2024
In 1994, his uncle was killed by the Taliban, who hanged his body from the barrel of a tank.
—Matthieu Aikins Bryan Denton, New York Times, 22 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for uncle 
Gisele Grayson, NPR, 23 May 2024
In 1994, his uncle was killed by the Taliban, who hanged his body from the barrel of a tank.
—Matthieu Aikins Bryan Denton, New York Times, 22 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for uncle
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'uncle.' 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
“Uncle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/uncle. Accessed 29 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
uncle
noun
un·cle
ˈəŋ-kəl 
1
: the brother of one's father or mother
2
: the husband of one's aunt or uncle
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