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
One of the brightest prospects in Newcastle United’s youth setup had been the best player, but was on the end of a frustrating, narrow 2-1 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen.
—
Chris Waugh, New York Times, 12 Dec. 2025
Sacramento’s latest homelessness decision will cut funding and reduce services at some shelters that support pregnant youth, the LGBTQ+ community and young parents.
—Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 11 Dec. 2025
The honorary street name application – submitted by one of his sons as a surprise – recognizes Sadoff’s decades of commitment to educational access for youth in underserved communities.
—April Quevedo, jsonline.com, 11 Dec. 2025
Without a budget in place, a group of 27 aldermen proposed funding youth summer jobs this summer at the same amount as in 2025.
—Charlie De Mar, CBS News, 11 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for youth
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Chris Waugh, New York Times, 12 Dec. 2025
Sacramento’s latest homelessness decision will cut funding and reduce services at some shelters that support pregnant youth, the LGBTQ+ community and young parents.
—Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 11 Dec. 2025
The honorary street name application – submitted by one of his sons as a surprise – recognizes Sadoff’s decades of commitment to educational access for youth in underserved communities.
—April Quevedo, jsonline.com, 11 Dec. 2025
Without a budget in place, a group of 27 aldermen proposed funding youth summer jobs this summer at the same amount as in 2025.
—Charlie De Mar, CBS News, 11 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for youth
Cite this Entry
“Youth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/youth. Accessed 13 Dec. 2025.
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