as in maturity
the state of being fully grown or developed
the period between childhood and adulthood is called adolescence
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Recent Examples of adulthood
Any parenting expert will tell you that temporary uncertainty or disappointment can healthily prepare a child for adulthood.
—
Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 9 Feb. 2026
Half of them were published in adulthood, with Frederick and Charles regarded as exceptionally promising poets until their talents were eclipsed not only by their younger brother but by their inner turmoil.
—Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
Analog is back In a Substack post in September that got 5,000 likes, Salguero expressed a yearning to have lived life in the ’90s when dating apps and doom scrolling weren’t a prerequisite of young adulthood.
—Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 7 Feb. 2026
Program organizers say the honorees already have impressive resumes at young ages, but they're being prepared for future success long into adulthood.
—Josh Taylor, CBS News, 7 Feb. 2026
Second — and more consequential — the same environments systematically lack the institutional capacity to shepherd that talent into adulthood.
—Mark Mitchell, Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
Often our sexuality in adulthood was formed by these negative influences.
—Literary Hub, 5 Feb. 2026
This happens even as teens take their first steps away from home and into independent adulthood.
—Russell Shaw, The Atlantic, 4 Feb. 2026
Much of his adulthood was spent in New York and Paris and Japan and traveling to the site of some new project, whether in Seattle or Bologna or Mexico City.
—Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 4 Feb. 2026
Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 9 Feb. 2026
Half of them were published in adulthood, with Frederick and Charles regarded as exceptionally promising poets until their talents were eclipsed not only by their younger brother but by their inner turmoil.
—Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
Analog is back In a Substack post in September that got 5,000 likes, Salguero expressed a yearning to have lived life in the ’90s when dating apps and doom scrolling weren’t a prerequisite of young adulthood.
—Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 7 Feb. 2026
Program organizers say the honorees already have impressive resumes at young ages, but they're being prepared for future success long into adulthood.
—Josh Taylor, CBS News, 7 Feb. 2026
Second — and more consequential — the same environments systematically lack the institutional capacity to shepherd that talent into adulthood.
—Mark Mitchell, Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
Often our sexuality in adulthood was formed by these negative influences.
—Literary Hub, 5 Feb. 2026
This happens even as teens take their first steps away from home and into independent adulthood.
—Russell Shaw, The Atlantic, 4 Feb. 2026
Much of his adulthood was spent in New York and Paris and Japan and traveling to the site of some new project, whether in Seattle or Bologna or Mexico City.
—Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 4 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adulthood
maturity
Noun
-
Instructors emphasize that maturity and discipline are significant assets for clinical training.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
3 Feb. 2026
-
College coaches would rather fill holes on their rosters with 22- and 23-year-old players with years of maturity and experience over developing incoming freshman.—
Chris Hays,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Adulthood.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adulthood. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
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