ovulation
noun
ovu·la·tion
ˌä vyə-ˈlā-shən 
ˌō-
ˌō-
: the discharge of a mature ovum from the ovary
Doctors have found that a few days before ovulation, as many as 30 to 50 egg follicles have begun to mature. Normally, only one will fully ripen … and the rest are lost.—
Mary Duenwald
Mary DuenwaldIn principle, ovulation takes place midway through a 28-day … cycle.—Judith N. Schwartz
Judith N. SchwartzExamples of ovulation in a Sentence
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The former could be a side effect of a low-dose birth control pill or even ovulation (when a shift in hormones can cause a bit of your endometrium to break off early), for instance.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 3 June 2025
Combination methods work to prevent pregnancy by preventing ovulation, which is the release of an egg from the ovaries.
—Kameryn Griesser, CNN Money, 21 May 2025
The research demonstrates that a fibrotic, stiff ovary can negatively impact follicle development, egg quality, and ovulation—all crucial factors for both fertility and hormone production.
ForbesWomen: Get the ForbesWomen newsletter, and supercharge your mission with success stories, tips and more.
—Samantha Walravens, Forbes.com, 8 May 2025
For women, keep an eye on your menstrual cycle, as many women tend to experience more symptoms with hormonal fluctuations, particularly during ovulation, when histamine levels in the body are higher.
—John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Apr. 2025
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Erica Sloan, SELF, 3 June 2025
Combination methods work to prevent pregnancy by preventing ovulation, which is the release of an egg from the ovaries.
—Kameryn Griesser, CNN Money, 21 May 2025
The research demonstrates that a fibrotic, stiff ovary can negatively impact follicle development, egg quality, and ovulation—all crucial factors for both fertility and hormone production.
ForbesWomen: Get the ForbesWomen newsletter, and supercharge your mission with success stories, tips and more.
—Samantha Walravens, Forbes.com, 8 May 2025
For women, keep an eye on your menstrual cycle, as many women tend to experience more symptoms with hormonal fluctuations, particularly during ovulation, when histamine levels in the body are higher.
—John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ovulation
Cite this Entry
“Ovulation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ovulation. Accessed 12 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
ovulation
noun
ovu·la·tion
ˌäv-yə-ˈlā-shən
also
ˌōv-
: the discharge of a mature ovum from the ovary
The persistent high level of estrogen induces an abrupt release of luteinizing hormone from the pituitary gland, and this hormonal surge then triggers ovulation.—Hsiu-Wei Su et al., Bioengineering & Translational Medicine
Hsiu-Wei Su et al., Bioengineering & Translational MedicineLove words? Need even more definitions?
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