juvenile

adjective

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ju·ve·nile | \ ˈjü-və-ˌnī(-ə)l

, -nᵊl

Definition of juvenile

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : physiologically immature or undeveloped : young juvenile birds

2a : of, relating to, characteristic of, or suitable for children or young people juvenile fiction

b : of or relating to young people who have committed or are accused of committing a criminal offense the juvenile justice system juvenile crime

3 : reflecting psychological or intellectual immaturity : childish juvenile behavior juvenile pranks told him he was being juvenile

4 : derived from sources within the earth and coming to the surface for the first time —used especially of water and gas

juvenile

noun

plural juveniles

Definition of juvenile (Entry 2 of 2)

1a : a young person : youth often, specifically : an individual who is under an age fixed by law (such as 18 years) at which he or she would be charged as an adult for a criminal act … some states also have been changing their laws to give school administrators more access to the records of juveniles whose cases were processed by juvenile courts. — Peter Schmidt

b : a book for children or young people

2 : a young individual resembling an adult of its kind except in size and reproductive activity: such as

a : a fledged bird not yet in adult plumage

b : a 2-year-old racehorse

3 : an actor or actress who plays youthful parts

Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about juvenile

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Synonyms & Antonyms for juvenile

Synonyms: Adjective

Synonyms: Noun

bairn
[chiefly Scottish],
bambino,
bud,
chap
[Southern & Midland],
chick,
child,
cub,
kid,
kiddie
(also kiddy),
kiddo,
moppet,
sprat,
sprout,
squirt,
whelp,
youngling,
youngster,
youth

Antonyms: Adjective

Antonyms: Noun

adult,
grown-up

Examples of juvenile in a Sentence

Adjective She criticized his juvenile behavior at the party. a juvenile alligator just hatched from its egg Noun She works to keep juveniles away from drugs. a medical study that followed juveniles through adolescence and into adulthood

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective Officers learned a juvenile male was driving a Toyota pickup truck and lost control. — Amaris Encinas, The Arizona Republic, 5 June 2021 Without adequate water flow down the river, temperatures rise and parasites, which can kill both juvenile and adult salmon, flourish. — oregonlive, 3 June 2021 After being asked twice to show the officer his hands, the juvenile shot Turner six times. — Nikolas Lanum, Fox News, 26 May 2021 Officers happened to be nearby and were able to catch the a juvenile and adult male in the act. — Taylor Pettaway, San Antonio Express-News, 24 May 2021 The committee also added $65 million above the governor’s proposals for re-entry programs both for juvenile and adult offenders, including employment assistance. — Keith M. Phaneuf, courant.com, 18 May 2021 ACEs have been linked to chronic health problems, mental illness, juvenile and adult incarnation and substance misuse later in life. — Amanda Nguyen, Forbes, 13 May 2021 The suspect, who is a juvenile and therefore was not publicly identified, has an extensive criminal record and went into hiding after the April 22 slaying of Camran Kashawn Collier, police said. — Kelli Smith, Dallas News, 13 May 2021 His office does not seek the death penalty and attempts to divert juvenile defendants away from the adult criminal justice system. — NBC News, 22 May 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun The teen was booked into the Hennepin County juvenile detention center Tuesday night in connection with the gunfire about 5:50 p.m. May 6 at the AmStar gas station on West Broadway between James and Knox avenues, said police spokesman John Elder. — Paul Walsh, Star Tribune, 2 June 2021 Four teenagers, including a juvenile, were later arrested in connection with the murders. — Elizabeth Depompei, The Indianapolis Star, 17 Apr. 2021 Thirteen people were charged with crimes, including one juvenile, according to police. — Audrey Mcnamara, CBS News, 13 Mar. 2021 Records show that Shallerhorn was previously arrested in August 2019 for alleged indecent behavior with a juvenile, but the Orleans Parish District Attorney's Office refused that charge in November 2019. — Danielle Wallace, Fox News, 1 Mar. 2021 Police said he was arrested on a warrant during a gathering that spanned Dec. 31 and Jan. 1 and was being held in a Columbia County juvenile detention center as recently as Tuesday. — oregonlive, 14 Jan. 2021 Since 2011, the state has closed 26 adult and juvenile detention facilities as the number of prison inmates has declined by around 21,000, according to the governor’s office. — Jimmy Vielkind, WSJ, 22 Dec. 2020 As of Thursday, 108 youths in L.A. County juvenile detention facilities had tested positive for the virus, and of those, 70 had tested positive upon admission to probation facilities. — Leila Miller Staff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 11 Dec. 2020 All four juveniles were arrested and are being held at the Warren County juvenile detention center awaiting hearings in their cases. — Cameron Knight, The Enquirer, 21 Nov. 2020

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