childhood
noun
child·hood
ˈchī(-ə)ld-ˌhu̇d 
1
: the state or period of being a child
2
: the early period in the development of something
Examples of childhood in a Sentence
diseases that can occur in childhood
Both men had unhappy childhoods.
Recent Examples on the Web
The Gogebic-Ontonagon Community Action Agency is not so fortunate, said Renee Pertile, early childhood director at the agency.
—
Beki San Martin, Freep.com, 27 Oct. 2025
Contrary to conventional wisdom, their research shows that seeking out scares for sport—watching a horror film or visiting a haunted house, for example—is linked to greater resilience among adults and, when age-appropriate, a lower risk for childhood anxiety.
—Delaney Rebernik, Time, 27 Oct. 2025
Critics, meanwhile, accuse her of politicizing childhood.
—Samantha Barry, Glamour, 27 Oct. 2025
Based on Lidia Yuknavitch’s memoir, The Chronology of Water casts the actress as a competitive swimmer who comes to terms with an abusive childhood while navigating self-destructive behavior.
—Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 27 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for childhood
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.
Beki San Martin, Freep.com, 27 Oct. 2025
Contrary to conventional wisdom, their research shows that seeking out scares for sport—watching a horror film or visiting a haunted house, for example—is linked to greater resilience among adults and, when age-appropriate, a lower risk for childhood anxiety.
—Delaney Rebernik, Time, 27 Oct. 2025
Critics, meanwhile, accuse her of politicizing childhood.
—Samantha Barry, Glamour, 27 Oct. 2025
Based on Lidia Yuknavitch’s memoir, The Chronology of Water casts the actress as a competitive swimmer who comes to terms with an abusive childhood while navigating self-destructive behavior.
—Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 27 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for childhood
Cite this Entry
“Childhood.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/childhood. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
childhood
noun
child·hood
ˈchīld-ˌhu̇d
: the state or time of being a child
Medical Definition
childhood
noun
child·hood
ˈchīld-ˌhu̇d
: the state or period of being a child
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share