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
Short fiction, a novel about young adult crushes and an amazing Minnesota musician’s memoir will brighten your spring reading.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 26 Apr. 2026
The key is participation in these higher dollar types of events may be later in life when the teenager becomes a young adult ideally with a job and can pay for the expenses on their own or with some parental support.
—Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Is there still benefit if vaccination occurs later, during the teen or young adult years?
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2026
Erin Jones, a 31-year-old food policy researcher living in Fort Collins, Colorado, who was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma as a young adult, is now cancer-free but still sees two oncologists, visits a high-risk breast clinic, and gets a breast MRI annually.
—Renuka Rayasam, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for young adult
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Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 26 Apr. 2026
The key is participation in these higher dollar types of events may be later in life when the teenager becomes a young adult ideally with a job and can pay for the expenses on their own or with some parental support.
—Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Is there still benefit if vaccination occurs later, during the teen or young adult years?
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2026
Erin Jones, a 31-year-old food policy researcher living in Fort Collins, Colorado, who was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma as a young adult, is now cancer-free but still sees two oncologists, visits a high-risk breast clinic, and gets a breast MRI annually.
—Renuka Rayasam, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2026
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 29 Apr. 2026.
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