ad·o·les·cent
ˌa-də-ˈle-sᵊnt 
: a young person who is developing into an adult : one who is in the state of adolescence
1
: of, relating to, or being in adolescence
adolescent growth
adolescent boys and girls
2
: emotionally or intellectually immature
did not appreciate her husband's adolescent high jinks
adolescently
adverb
Examples of adolescent in a Sentence
Noun
Their children are now adolescents.
Adjective
an adolescent sheepdog, who hasn't quite gotten the hang of keeping the sheep huddled together
would hope that the college students had outgrown such adolescent behavior
Recent Examples on the Web
Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 14 Dec. 2025
Aliah Singh, a K-12 school counselor and co-founder of CultivaTeen Roots, an online platform that supports parents and caregivers of tweens and teens, told Newsweek that, while the ban may have some benefits, adolescents could find a way around it.
—Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2025
Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 8 Dec. 2025
Studies show that eating disorders have skyrocketed since the beginning of the pandemic, said Jason Nagata, professor of pediatrics at University of California, San Francisco and adolescent eating disorder specialist.
—Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 6 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for adolescent
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Noun
He was interred in an area of the cemetery typically used for adults and adolescents buried without grave goods.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 14 Dec. 2025
Aliah Singh, a K-12 school counselor and co-founder of CultivaTeen Roots, an online platform that supports parents and caregivers of tweens and teens, told Newsweek that, while the ban may have some benefits, adolescents could find a way around it.
—Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2025
Adjective
Researchers who study adolescent sleep and screen habits have found that many 11- to 12-year-olds keep devices within reach at night, and a notable share report being awakened by notifications.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 8 Dec. 2025
Studies show that eating disorders have skyrocketed since the beginning of the pandemic, said Jason Nagata, professor of pediatrics at University of California, San Francisco and adolescent eating disorder specialist.
—Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 6 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for adolescent
Cite this Entry
“Adolescent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adolescent. Accessed 16 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
adolescent
1 of 2 noun
ad·o·les·cent
-ᵊnt
: one that is in the state of adolescence
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