1
as in young
being in the early stage of life, growth, or development
a juvenile alligator just hatched from its egg
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in childish
having or showing the annoying qualities (as silliness) associated with children
throwing a tantrum is rather juvenile behavior for a person of your age
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in adolescent
lacking in adult experience or maturity
a spoiled, juvenile golfer who does not know how to win gracefully
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in kid
a young person who is between infancy and adulthood
a medical study that followed juveniles through adolescence and into adulthood
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of juvenile
David Cox, NBC news, 25 Mar. 2026
As of Wednesday afternoon, water flows at Wilkins Slough stood at 7,780 cubic feet per second, about 38% below the roughly 10,700 cubic feet per second that a 2021 study linked to much higher juvenile salmon survival in the Sacramento River.
—Chaewon Chung
march 25, Sacbee.com, 25 Mar. 2026
Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 24 Mar. 2026
Because the girlfriend and the suspect, now 14, are both juveniles, the Mercury News is not naming either of them.
—Julia Prodis Sulek, Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for juvenile
Adjective
This finding matches with prior research, carried out in lab mice and rats, which has found that long-term methylphenidate treatment in juvenile animals normalizes some abnormalities in dopamine-rich brain regions.
—David Cox, NBC news, 25 Mar. 2026
As of Wednesday afternoon, water flows at Wilkins Slough stood at 7,780 cubic feet per second, about 38% below the roughly 10,700 cubic feet per second that a 2021 study linked to much higher juvenile salmon survival in the Sacramento River.
—Chaewon Chung
march 25, Sacbee.com, 25 Mar. 2026
Noun
But like with all of his sets, Holmes imbues wisdom in even the most juvenile of jokes.
—Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 24 Mar. 2026
Because the girlfriend and the suspect, now 14, are both juveniles, the Mercury News is not naming either of them.
—Julia Prodis Sulek, Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for juvenile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for juvenile
Adjective
-
Szeemann’s two Venice Biennales followed a decade of frantic exhibition-making across the globe, by Szeemann himself and by young professionals proud to call themselves independent curators.—
Daniel Birnbaum,
Artforum,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The legislation would require social media platforms to estimate the age of users and exclude obscene content to children 16 years old or younger.—
Angela Palermo,
Idaho Statesman,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Those leaders who ignore or flout the law aren’t merely unethical but fatally arrogant, putting their childish willfulness over the wisdom of generations.—
David Brooks,
The Atlantic,
25 Mar. 2026
-
However, this is a childish fantasy.—
Dr. Michael Good,
Hartford Courant,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Some of her adolescent outbursts and antics (that were so delicious to play).—
Stephen Schaefer,
Boston Herald,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Any full-length conversation between Tua Tagovailoa and his adolescent self would, eventually, disclose details of the dark days.—
Daniel Flick - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution,
AJC.com,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Watch this video for tips on finding age-appropriate books for kids.—
Cody Godwin,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The former Fortune 100 company marketing executive rescued a white rabbit that a family with kids no longer wanted.—
Sharon Chin,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Yet this widely available gourd—harvested and eaten while still immature, in fact, for ripe cucumbers are yellow and bitter—is not the entirety of the plant.—
Andrés Muedano,
JSTOR Daily,
25 Mar. 2026
-
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
Adjective
-
Mullin will also face congressional Democrats’ wrath as lawmakers on Capitol Hill have already begun to investigate DHS for the massive contracts to individuals and companies that were inexperienced, had connections to Noem’s staff, or contained other irregularities.—
Anna Giaritelli,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Schaeffer won over most of the Rockies players quickly, but, fielding a young, inexperienced team, Colorado limped toward the finish line, going 4-21 in September.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Families The resort is for adults only (children aged over 16 are welcome).—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Others spent decades behind bars, leaving their children without mothers or fathers.—
Zayd Ayers Dohrn,
New Yorker,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Juvenile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/juvenile. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
