youth

noun

plural youths ˈyüt͟hz How to pronounce youth (audio) ˈyüths How to pronounce youth (audio)
often attributive
1
a
: the time of life when one is young
especially : the period between childhood and maturity
b
: the early period of existence, growth, or development
2
a
: a young person
especially : a young male between adolescence and maturity
b
: young persons or creatures
usually plural in construction
3
: the quality or state of being youthful : youthfulness

Examples of youth in a Sentence

She had a troubled youth. He spent his youth in the Midwest. He got into a lot of trouble in his youth. a generation trying to recapture lost youth when the industry was still in its youth Four youths are suspected of starting the fire.
Recent Examples on the Web This is a further sign of the marked deterioration of the Greater Chinese market, where growth is flagging due to factors including high youth unemployment and an ongoing real estate market slump. Lily Templeton, WWD, 17 Oct. 2024 Selden said that the club launched its first-ever clinic in April 2022, with 10 youth attendees and Thorton’s childhood coach leading the session. Essence, 17 Oct. 2024 On top of property sector troubles, the PBOC is grappling with the fallout from near-record youth unemployment and an economic model that encourages households to save more and spend less. William Pesek, Forbes, 16 Oct. 2024 The conservationist ethos developed in Roosevelt’s youth continued to influence him throughout his life. Peter Zablocki, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for youth 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'youth.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English youthe, from Old English geoguth; akin to Old English geong young — more at young

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of youth was before the 12th century

Cite this Entry

“Youth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/youth. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

youth

noun
plural youths ˈyüt͟hz How to pronounce youth (audio) ˈyüths How to pronounce youth (audio)
1
: the time of life when one is young
especially : the period between childhood and adulthood
2
a
: a young man
b
: young people
the youth of today
usually used with a plural verb
3
: the quality or state of being young

More from Merriam-Webster on youth

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!