young adult
adjective
: of, relating to, or being a category of fiction that is primarily intended for adolescent readers
young adult fiction/literature
We live in an era of blockbuster young adult book series: Harry Potter, Twilight, now the Hunger Games.—
Leah Wilson
Leah WilsonEarly in her four-year career as the young adult librarian of the Huckaby Public Library, Veronica Garde observed that most of the staff had a sliding scale of courtesy toward library users, teenagers being given the shortest shrift.—A. J. Anderson
—abbreviation YA
A. J. AndersonExamples of young adult in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The 17-year-old is now a figurehead in young adult literary circles through their book club, Read with Raegan, and partnerships with Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine.
—Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
Home life for the couple, their daughter and young adult son was simple before they were thrust into the spotlight.
—Faith Karimi, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2025
While the hiker has not been identified, Gousse described him as a young adult, likely in his 20s.
—Josh Wood, The Courier-Journal, 2 Sep. 2025
These were welcomed cultural shifts in an industry that has historically not been great about either, especially in children’s and young adult literature.
—Kevin Dickinson, Big Think, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for young adult
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Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
Home life for the couple, their daughter and young adult son was simple before they were thrust into the spotlight.
—Faith Karimi, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2025
While the hiker has not been identified, Gousse described him as a young adult, likely in his 20s.
—Josh Wood, The Courier-Journal, 2 Sep. 2025
These were welcomed cultural shifts in an industry that has historically not been great about either, especially in children’s and young adult literature.
—Kevin Dickinson, Big Think, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for young adult
Cite this Entry
“Young adult.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/young%20adult. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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