adolescent

noun

ad·o·les·cent | \ ˌa-də-ˈle-sᵊnt

Definition of adolescent

(Entry 1 of 2)

: a young person who is developing into an adult : one who is in the state of adolescence

adolescent

adjective

Definition of adolescent (Entry 2 of 2)

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

Other Words from adolescent Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about adolescent

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Synonyms & Antonyms for adolescent

Synonyms: Adjective

immature, juvenile, young, youngish, youthful

Antonyms: Adjective

adult, grown-up, mature, matured

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: Noun

The report doesn’t delve into why rates of suicide, homicide and other injury deaths are climbing for kids and adolescents. — Jamie Ducharme, Time, "Deaths By Suicide and Firearms Are Rising Sharply Among Kids," 1 June 2018 In general, adolescents and adults don't need that much toothpaste either. — Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping, "Your Kids Are Probably Using Too Much Toothpaste, And It’s Hurting Their Teeth," 6 Feb. 2019 As increasing numbers of adolescents and teens grapple with anxiety and depression, a new texting service has been implemented to offer local middle and high school students mental health support any time of day. — Caitlin Mullen, chicagotribune.com, "Support4U: Oak Park, River Forest students can find mental health help via text service," 26 June 2018 Researchers surveyed 162 doctors who worked with adolescents and young adults. — NBC News, "Most doctors would give HIV prevention drugs to teens," 26 June 2018 Over 80 percent of adolescents and young adults who have tried tobacco report that their first product was flavored. — Brian Jenssen Md, Philly.com, "The problem with kids and flavored tobacco," 21 June 2018 About 79,000 adolescents and young adults of child-bearing age are diagnosed with cancer each year, according to The National Cancer Institute. — Andrea K. Mcdaniels, baltimoresun.com, "Gov. Hogan signs bill requiring insurers to pay for preserving eggs and sperm of cancer patients," 15 May 2018 The fossils, including a partial skull and a lower jaw, belong to five different individuals including three young adults, an adolescent and a child estimated to be 8 years old. — Katy Scott, CNN, "Why warriors in New Guinea used human bones as formidable daggers," 5 May 2018 Rhonda takes excellent care of children, adolescents and young adults with spina bifida seen in the clinic for the last 18 years. — Alice Adams, Houston Chronicle, "Houston Chronicle recognizes Top 15 Nurses for excellence, dedication," 2 May 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

His patients, authorities say, include adolescent athletes. — Carol Robinson | Crobinson@al.com, al.com, "Hidden cameras, voyeurism, violent porn among accusations against Vestavia Hills pain doctor arrested by feds," 8 June 2019 There were productions that challenged our nation's current abuse of the Second Amendment, put drag queens at center stage, and incited pangs of unease over the adolescent-experience. — Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, "Anna Wintour and Bee Carrozzini Host a Dinner in Honor of the Tony Awards," 20 May 2019 The customer is a grown woman and our stake in this is that the use of underage models is linked to pressures to maintain an adolescent physique. — Janelle Okwodu, Vogue, "In Europe, the Model Age Debate Rages On," 12 Apr. 2019 Netflix’s Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is far from a done-to-death, over-the-top adolescent soap opera set inside a world of powerful witches and supernatural beings. — Jasmine Arielle Ting, Teen Vogue, ""Chilling Adventures of Sabrina" Shows That There's Power in Questioning Your Religion," 5 Apr. 2019 The show adds another layer of consent when Dr. Ben Warren (Jason Winston George) is shown having a talk about it with his adolescent stepson, Tuck. — Abby Gardner, Glamour, "Everyone Should Watch Grey's Anatomy's Powerful Message About Consent," 29 Mar. 2019 What transpires is a night of adolescent debauchery straight out of Superbad. — Christopher Rosa, Glamour, "Olivia Wilde’s New Movie Looks Like the Female Superbad—and People Are Thrilled," 11 Mar. 2019 Dan Weiner, a child and adolescent psychotherapist in West Hartford, says for a variety of reasons, our culture increasingly reinforces the expectation of immediate gratification. — Teresa M. Pelham, courant.com, "Being Grateful In The Face Of Privilege," 17 Mar. 2018 But underneath all the masturbating with pastry and accidentally ingested semen cocktails, there’s real sentiment to the adolescent boys trying to find their way with women, and vice versa. — Vogue, "The 55 Best Romantic Comedies of All Time," 1 Feb. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'adolescent.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for adolescent

Noun

Middle English, borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French, borrowed from Latin adolēscent-, adolēscens "young man or woman, youth," noun derivative of adolēscens adolescent entry 2

Adjective

borrowed from French & Latin; French, going back to Middle French, borrowed from Latin adolēscent-, adolēscens, adulēscens "young, youthful," present participle of adolēscere, adulēscere "to become mature, grow up" — more at adult entry 1

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