adulted; adulting; adults
1
informal
: to behave like an adult : to attend to the ordinary tasks required of a responsible adult
Do we really have to adult today?—
Lauren Merola
Lauren MerolaStop complaining that you have to adult today. Being an adult is awesome.—Suzanne Lucas
Suzanne LucasLearning how to "adult" is a necessity for these college freshmen in order to figure out new medication schedules and if their parents' insurance will cover impromptu ER visits.—Meredith Newman
Meredith Newman2
informal
: to become an adult
It could be something small, like bailing on your friends at the last second. Or something bigger, like not showing up for work. Whatever the case may be, it's a sign you haven't fully "adulted" if you constantly slack off on your responsibilities.—Carolyn Steber
Carolyn SteberBut there is one real benefit to growing older and adulting: We essentially get to do whatever we want to do.—Sharon Pope
Sharon PopeExamples of adult in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Alternative Programs offers no-cash-bail alternatives to incarceration for youth and adult non-violent offenders in South Florida.
—Najahe Sherman, CBS News, 12 May 2026
In January 2026, twin males were born to adult female Mafuko in the park’s Bageni family.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 8 Apr. 2026
At that hearing, Alex Adams, supervising deputy district attorney for the juvenile justice unit in the District Attorney’s Office, informed the judge of their motion to transfer the defendant to adult criminal court for prosecution.
—Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2026
Thousands of minors have been married off in Colorado in recent years under this loophole, almost all of them girls wed to adult men, according to data from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
—Fraidy Reiss, Denver Post, 15 Mar. 2026
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Najahe Sherman, CBS News, 12 May 2026
In January 2026, twin males were born to adult female Mafuko in the park’s Bageni family.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 8 Apr. 2026
At that hearing, Alex Adams, supervising deputy district attorney for the juvenile justice unit in the District Attorney’s Office, informed the judge of their motion to transfer the defendant to adult criminal court for prosecution.
—Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2026
Thousands of minors have been married off in Colorado in recent years under this loophole, almost all of them girls wed to adult men, according to data from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
—Fraidy Reiss, Denver Post, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for adult
Cite this Entry
“Adult.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adult. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
1
: fully developed and mature
2
: of, relating to, or characteristic of adults
Etymology
from Latin adultus "having grown up," from adolescere "to grow up" — related to adolescence
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