1
as in young
being in the early stage of life, growth, or development
an adolescent sheepdog, who hasn't quite gotten the hang of keeping the sheep huddled together
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in childish
having or showing the annoying qualities (as silliness) associated with children
would hope that the college students had outgrown such adolescent behavior
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in immature
lacking in adult experience or maturity
took a group of adolescent recruits and turned them into professional warriors
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of adolescent
Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 5 Mar. 2026
Haynes, who has lived in South Florida since 1993 and trained in child and adolescent trauma after Hurricane Andrew, said resilience is as much a part of the Iranian story as suffering.
—Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 1 Mar. 2026
Sarah Ferguson, Forbes.com, 24 Feb. 2026
With withdrawal, adolescents can suffer greater anxiety and irritability.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for adolescent
Adjective
Early, who wrote and directed, also stars as the title character, Maddie Ralph, a food influencer who is secretly struggling with the return of an adolescent eating disorder.
—Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 5 Mar. 2026
Haynes, who has lived in South Florida since 1993 and trained in child and adolescent trauma after Hurricane Andrew, said resilience is as much a part of the Iranian story as suffering.
—Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 1 Mar. 2026
Noun
The constant fear of attacks, endless sheltering in basements, and isolation at home with limited social connections have left adolescents struggling.
—Sarah Ferguson, Forbes.com, 24 Feb. 2026
With withdrawal, adolescents can suffer greater anxiety and irritability.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for adolescent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adolescent
Adjective
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McKinney was Double-A Binghamton’s pitching coach last season and thus owns deeper histories with many of the Mets’ younger arms.—
Tim Britton,
New York Times,
12 Mar. 2026
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The 49-second video begins with a young girl in blue pants picking up a metal water bottle from the ground and throwing it at another girl.—
Ruben Vives,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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By the second half of the twentieth century, media depictions of bicycles often showed them as something exclusively for children, or for odd, childish adults.—
Livia Gershon,
JSTOR Daily,
5 Mar. 2026
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That would be childish as hell.—
Selome Hailu,
Variety,
4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Preterm and low-birth-weight babies are at higher risk than full-term babies of developing NEC, potentially because of their immature digestive systems, according to the National Institutes of Health.—
Lisa Schencker,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Mar. 2026
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When the eggs hatch, the immature stages start feeding.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
3 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Two people, including a juvenile, were injured in a shooting in McKeesport on Thursday, authorities said.—
Michael Guise,
CBS News,
13 Mar. 2026
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During the investigation, Round Rock police also learned that Beverly was previously convicted of two counts of indecent behavior with a juvenile in Louisiana, felony offenses under that state's law, the release said.—
Claire Osborn,
Austin American Statesman,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Among them was a treatment option for infantile hypophosphatasia, a rare form of rickets that makes children’s bones dangerously fragile.—
Ashley Mackin Solomon,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Feb. 2026
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This suggests that the immune system may be involved in infantile amnesia.—
Veronique Greenwood,
Time,
23 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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But Miami is using an inexperienced quarterback, who had struggled on every level of the game with the exception of spot playing time the past two years, to do so?—
Omar Kelly,
Miami Herald,
12 Mar. 2026
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One year ago, Georgetown was deemed too small and too inexperienced – yet the Royals developed a hard-nosed defensive identity that led to their first state championship in program history.—
Justin Barrasso,
Boston Herald,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Police later said four teenagers had been detained in a car near another synagogue in Rotterdam.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Mar. 2026
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Aiding a teenager slumped on the ground having a medical episode this month led to North Miami Beach officers learning that a Miami Gardens man had been raping her for at least the last two years — a discovery that her mother had long since made, authorities say.—
Devoun Cetoute,
Miami Herald,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Ben Wang delivers a breakthrough performance in the title role as a kid who tries to conquer his anxiety issues head-on by running for class president.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Mar. 2026
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According to his lawyer, Jimenez was trying to encourage the agents to wrap up before the kids arrived.—
Ruby Cramer,
New Yorker,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Adolescent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adolescent. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
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