grow up

verb

grew up; grown up; growing up; grows up
Synonyms of grow upnext

intransitive verb

1
a
: to grow toward or arrive at full stature or physical or mental maturity : to progress from childhood toward adulthood
growing up intellectually
grew up in the city
also : to become an adult
She wants to be a doctor when she grows up.
b
: to stop thinking or behaving in a childish way
He should grow up and accept his responsibilities.
2
: to begin to exist and develop as time passes
A number of cities grew up along the river.

Examples of grow up in a Sentence

everyone has to grow up at some point in their lives
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Bradley also grew up playing baseball and enjoys watching the game with his daughters, and plans on getting his oldest daughter into softball this year. Charlie Lapastora, CBS News, 22 June 2026 He is lured by the sound of music down a Montmartre street to Nicholas de Lenfent (Joseph Potter), an old friend from his village who has grown up to be a talented violinist and rakish twink. Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 22 June 2026 People grew up with these books. Dana Taylor, USA Today, 22 June 2026 Although not catastrophic, that kind of decline suggests the film isn’t resonating beyond the core demographic of older males, who grew up on Spielberg’s vast filmography. Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 21 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for grow up

Word History

First Known Use

1535, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of grow up was in 1535

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Cite this Entry

“Grow up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grow%20up. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

grow up

verb
: to grow toward or reach full mental and physical growth

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