adolescent 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of adolescentnext
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

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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

adolescent

2 of 2

noun

as in juvenile

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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 adolescent
Adjective
At school or among friends, Sophie passes all the usual adolescent milestones. — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 12 Aug. 2026 The desire for teens to overhaul their look during high school is a healthy part of adolescent development. — Liz Regalia, Parents, 10 Aug. 2026
Noun
Many factors can lead to substance use among adolescents, experts say, including their peers and family environments. — Avni Trivedi, CNN Money, 12 June 2026 In a 2025 study of 209 adolescents aged 10 to 17 who had a depressive or anxiety disorder, researchers examined iron deficiency and anxiety through brain scans and interviews. — Sarah Bence, Verywell Health, 10 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for adolescent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adolescent
  1. young
  2. childish
  3. immature
  4. juvenile
  5. infantile
  6. inexperienced
  7. teenager
  8. kid
Adjective
  • Prince Harry was already set to be in Britain next month for an annual ceremony run by WellChild, a charity that cares for seriously ill children and young people in the UK.
    — Max Foster, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The tinted windows looked out onto the courts where Richardson trained some of the best young female players in the Rio Grande Valley, but the glass was one-way, and from outside, nothing that happened in the room was visible.
    — Molly Hensley-Clancy, Washington Post, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of young
Adjective
  • James’s obsessive love, his unwillingness to go on without his beloved, is treated as childish, if not a version of sweaty insanity.
    — Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 18 Aug. 2026
  • In just a few short weeks, his childish, naive world becomes brutally adult.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of childish
Adjective
  • There’s nothing wrong with holding on to childhood and being a little immature from time to time.
    — Loren Savini, Allure, 22 Aug. 2026
  • The acclaimed writer Rachel Cusk’s controversial new novel Life of M is an intimate, unvarnished character study of an A-list movie star who is depicted as hollow, immature and cynical, an intellectual poseur and an artist wannabe.
    — Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of immature
Noun
  • This image captures two juveniles peering from their father’s mouth, revealing the specialized mouthbrooding strategy that helps this species increase the survival of its young.
    — Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Brown is the only one charged with first-degree employing a juvenile in the commission of a crime.
    — Stephanie Ballesteros, CBS News, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of juvenile
Adjective
  • Ultimately, kneading is a multi-faceted trait, showcasing how domestication retains infantile aspects in adult cats.
    — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
  • Miami’s infantile offense can’t afford to carry this team.
    — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 12 June 2026
Definition of infantile
Adjective
  • Their quest is complicated by Hampton Squib, an inexperienced and wildly underprepared adventurer whose dream of heroism far exceeds his abilities.
    — Denise Petski, Deadline, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Bass, who finished about 5 points ahead of Raman in the June primary, sought to portray her challenger as an inexperienced outsider who would struggle to build support at City Hall.
    — Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of inexperienced
Noun
  • But as is the case for a lot of young talent in the soccer industry, the teenager quickly became a commodity.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Kloie attended Centennial High School in Bakersfield, and the school’s softball team paid tribute to the late teenager on social media.
    — Adam England, PEOPLE, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of teenager
Noun
  • The 34-year-old gave birth there to all three kids, Levi, 5, Elijah, 3, and Rae, who turns 1 in September.
    — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Just as many people can’t afford to have someone else clean their homes, landscape their yards or nanny their kids, those struggling to make ends meet may need to lean on AI assistance.
    — Billy J. Stratton, The Conversation, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of kid

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adolescences
adolescent
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Cite this Entry

“Adolescent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adolescent. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on adolescent

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about adolescent

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