What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
fatherless
Example
He grew up fatherless after his dad passed away when he was young. [fatherless: adjective]
Example
The fatherless family struggled to make ends meet after the breadwinner left. [fatherless: noun]
parentless
Example
She was left parentless after her mother and father died in a car accident. [parentless: adjective]
Example
The orphanage took in many parentless children who had nowhere else to go. [parentless: noun]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Fatherless is more commonly used than parentless in everyday language.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between fatherless and parentless?
Both fatherless and parentless are appropriate for formal and informal contexts.
