1
as in childish
having or showing the annoying qualities (as silliness) associated with children
told the teenagers that such puerile behavior would not be tolerated during the ceremony
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in immature
lacking in adult experience or maturity
allowed the company to be taken over by a bunch of puerile whippersnappers fresh out of business school
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in goofy
lacking in seriousness or maturity
the kind of puerile jokes that teenage moviegoers apparently love
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of puerile
Mozart, however, isn’t merely a puerile rascal, as his relationship with Lauren Worsham’s Constanze reveals.
—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
The book, which has a decidedly feminist bent, becomes a surprise best-seller, and soon Penelope finds herself in Hollywood, surrounded by blowhard executives and puerile male screenwriters who want to adapt her work into a blockbuster.
—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
7 Jan. 2026
The Twits are so gross and puerile and nasty in the book.
—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
17 Oct. 2025
The film is not opposed to the occasional piece of puerile humor, like introducing the Dallas skyline exclusively with the decidedly phallic Reunion Tower.
—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for puerile
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
The book, which has a decidedly feminist bent, becomes a surprise best-seller, and soon Penelope finds herself in Hollywood, surrounded by blowhard executives and puerile male screenwriters who want to adapt her work into a blockbuster.
—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
7 Jan. 2026
The Twits are so gross and puerile and nasty in the book.
—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
17 Oct. 2025
The film is not opposed to the occasional piece of puerile humor, like introducing the Dallas skyline exclusively with the decidedly phallic Reunion Tower.
—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for puerile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for puerile
Adjective
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Of course, this is no tragedy — there comes a time to put away childish things, 40-something video-gamers notwithstanding — but the movie comes close to regarding it as such.
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This one has a charming clover shape to make your space feel animated, but not childish.
Adjective
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His position is assumed, in turn, by the largest of the immature fish, who, thanks to the tragedy, finally gets to grow up.
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Even Stevens was never afraid to go all out for its constant string of gags and jokes, led by Shia LaBeouf as the immature prankster Louis Stevens.
Adjective
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One detour led me to Paul Krassner, a founding member of the Yippies, a radical (and radically goofy) New Left group.
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Alongside Fred Jones, Daphne Blake, Velma Dinkley and his best friend, Shaggy Rogers, Scooby spent decades unmasking supposedly supernatural villains while winning over generations of fans with his goofy charm, insatiable appetite and signature catchphrases.
Adjective
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Programming includes individual and family mental wellness counseling, lifestyle empowerment consultations, and adolescent nutritional consultations.
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At another section of the hospital, teens in hospital scrubs walked the quiet halls of the adolescent unit with their lunch trays.
Adjective
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Over the same period, entry-level head count at the high-intensity firms rose 12%, contradicting predictions and fears that young or inexperienced workers would be most at risk of losing their jobs to AI.
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Immer and Lois work with land stewards to find projects that make sense for eager but often inexperienced volunteers.
Adjective
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Every player with a pulse had six suitors throwing silly money around.
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Some scenes in the movie are light and silly, including those pairing Maddie with a lesbian friend, played by Kate Berlant, who clearly loves her.
Adjective
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In 2023, 18-year-old Bryan Diaz died of a fentanyl overdose at the county’s other main juvenile hall in Sylmar.
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Others questioned how the county is addressing juvenile crime, including carjackings involving young suspects.
Adjective
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As adult influencers dominate online fashion culture, and tweens and teens see the same content as adults, there are fewer spaces for young people to develop styles of their own.
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While veterans jockey for new contracts during free agency, young players are getting their tryout opportunities with NBA summer league games beginning this week.
Cite this Entry
“Puerile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/puerile. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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