spouse
Partner by vows
A spouse is someone's husband or wife—their partner in marriage.
The term is gender-neutral and appears frequently in legal, administrative, and formal contexts where husband or wife would require specifying sex: List your spouse's income on line 12.
In casual speech, people more often say husband, wife, or partner, but spouse remains useful when speaking generally about married couples or when the specific gender is unknown or irrelevant.
Married man's role
- wifeFemale marriage partner
- partnerOne who shares activity
- consortRoyal spouse
- matePartner or companion
homemaker · breadwinner · caregiver · housewife · househusband · co-parent · provider · hubby
Marriage rite and feast
- matrimonyLegal union of spouses
- vowsSolemn binding promises
- nuptialsVows and rings
- ceremonyFormal event marking occasions
honeymoon · anniversary · engagement · ring · betrothal · union · wedlock · altar
Loyalty or exactness
- devotionDeep, loyal commitment
- faithfulnessDevoted loyalty maintained
- vowsSolemn binding promises
- monogamyOne partner at a time
loyalty · dedication · promise · bond · constancy · steadfastness · pledge · covenant
One who shares activity
- companionOne who keeps company
- intimacyEmotional closeness between people
- togethernessState of close connection
- closenessState of proximity
affection · bonding · connection · rapport · understanding · helpmate · soulmate · confidant
Married man's role
- wifeFemale marriage partner
- in-lawsRelatives through marriage
- householdDomestic unit of residents
- childrenYoung human beings
co-parent · breadwinner · homemaker · next of kin · dependents · family unit · nuclear family · stepparent
Legal proof of wedlock
- divorceLegal end of matrimony
- alimonyCourt-ordered post-divorce payments
- prenuptialBefore the wedding
- custodyProtective care or control
beneficiary · inheritance · joint property · power of attorney · next of kin · annulment · separation · community property
husband
Married man's role
mate · homemaker · breadwinner · caregiver · housewife · househusband · co-parent · provider · hubby · bride
wedding
Marriage rite and feast
ceremony · honeymoon · anniversary · engagement · ring · betrothal · union · wedlock · altar · conjugal
fidelity
Loyalty or exactness
- devotionDeep, loyal commitment
- faithfulnessDevoted loyalty maintained
- vowsSolemn binding promises
monogamy · loyalty · dedication · promise · bond · constancy · steadfastness · pledge · covenant · trust
partner
One who shares activity
- companionOne who keeps company
- intimacyEmotional closeness between people
- togethernessState of close connection
closeness · affection · bonding · connection · rapport · understanding · helpmate · soulmate · confidant · support
husband
Married man's role
children · co-parent · breadwinner · homemaker · next of kin · dependents · family unit · nuclear family · stepparent · blended family
marriage certificate
Legal proof of wedlock
- divorceLegal end of matrimony
- alimonyCourt-ordered post-divorce payments
- prenuptialBefore the wedding
custody · beneficiary · inheritance · joint property · power of attorney · next of kin · annulment · separation · community property · civil union
- family lifebirth, kinship, childbirth, pregnancy, new baby
- family membersmother, father, sister, brother, son
- relationshipsfriends, romantic, family, friend, flirting
- loved onespartner, mother, father, parents, soulmate
- supportsupport, emotional support, moral support, support group, stand by
- biographybirth, death date, autobiography, life story, biography
spousebachelor
Unwed male adult
bachelorette · spinster · single · single person · maiden
spousestranger
Person not yet known
nobody · acquaintance · enemy · adversary · rival
spouseex-spouse
Divorced husband or wife
former spouse · ex · ex-husband · ex-wife · divorcee
- work spousePlatonic professional confidant
- military spousePartner of servicemember
- cheating spouseUnfaithful marriage partner
- spousal abuseHarm inflicted by partner
- battered spousePartner subjected to violence
- common-law spouseLegally recognized unmarried partner
espouse, spouses, espousal, spousal, espoused, spouseless, espousing, espouses