as in boy
a male person who has not yet reached adulthood
the young boxer looked like a mere stripling next to his larger, more seasoned opponent
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of stripling
More important still, thrilling these ultra-cultured striplings means winning over mom and dad, too.
—
Devorah Lev-Tov, Robb Report, 25 June 2023
In Dunst’s hands, Antoinette is naturally happy, an excitable stripling full of life — the sort of protagonist you’d root for simply because the performer inhabiting her is so agreeable.
—Matthew Jacobs, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2021
Best-selling author Margaret George has just published a novel repackaging the Roman emperor Nero, whose name has evoked mayhem and recreational pyromania for the past 2,000 years, as a misunderstood stripling.
—Joe Queenan, WSJ, 5 May 2017
Devorah Lev-Tov, Robb Report, 25 June 2023
In Dunst’s hands, Antoinette is naturally happy, an excitable stripling full of life — the sort of protagonist you’d root for simply because the performer inhabiting her is so agreeable.
—Matthew Jacobs, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2021
Best-selling author Margaret George has just published a novel repackaging the Roman emperor Nero, whose name has evoked mayhem and recreational pyromania for the past 2,000 years, as a misunderstood stripling.
—Joe Queenan, WSJ, 5 May 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stripling
Noun
-
Lots of boys wanted to be like him, to be accepted, given attention, admired and loved by teachers, but the rest of us were looked down upon.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Memorials have been erected at the scene of the crash to honor the two boys who were killed, KMSP reported.—
Abigail Adams,
PEOPLE,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
As a young lad growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area town of Pittsburg, my school uniform consisted of corduroys the color of Ash Wednesday, a white dress shirt and a maroon V-neck sweater.—
Steve Lopez,
Mercury News,
1 Oct. 2025
-
His boss seems unusually chill with the deception, mostly because this lad might be helpful for sniffing out other moles and double agents in their field.—
Vulture Editors,
Vulture,
24 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
We were bullied, after all, by the older teenagers who beat us on a regular basis, bloodied our mouths with one punch.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Oct. 2025
-
With two teenagers, Short's grocery bill is about $1,100 a month.—
Nushrat Rahman,
Freep.com,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The kids' club received an overhaul in 2018.—
Jacqui Gifford,
Travel + Leisure,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Proving that moms will do anything for their kids, Kim Kardashian joined North to dress up as her favorite TikTok stars, Jay Guapõ and Pink Cardigan.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Choose the one that works best for your adolescent.—
Dr. Theresa T. Nguyen,
Boston Herald,
26 Oct. 2025
-
Twenge has spent much of the past decade warning parents about the risks of giving young adolescents unlimited access to smartphones and social media.—
Tom Huddleston Jr.,
CNBC,
5 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stripling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stripling. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share