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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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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of adolescent
Jaclyn Cosgrove,
Los Angeles Times,
25 June 2026
Deputies arrested Lucas after the IT director at Lucas’ employer, RoMac Building Supply, found files on his computer during an upgrade, including what appeared to be inappropriate photographs of adults and adolescent girls, according to the arrest report.
—
Sara-James Ranta,
The Orlando Sentinel,
22 June 2026
René Ostberg,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
7 May 2026
As an adolescent, he was diagnosed with dyslexia and struggled through school.
—
Jen Murphy,
Robb Report,
26 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for adolescent
Adjective
Klopping said the agency will get reports of these adolescent bears wandering closer to populated areas.
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Jaclyn Cosgrove,
Los Angeles Times,
25 June 2026
Deputies arrested Lucas after the IT director at Lucas’ employer, RoMac Building Supply, found files on his computer during an upgrade, including what appeared to be inappropriate photographs of adults and adolescent girls, according to the arrest report.
—
Sara-James Ranta,
The Orlando Sentinel,
22 June 2026
Noun
The epitome of an enfant terrible, Rimbaud was a rebellious adolescent with a tempestuous personal life (ask fellow poet Paul Verlaine).
—
René Ostberg,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
7 May 2026
As an adolescent, he was diagnosed with dyslexia and struggled through school.
—
Jen Murphy,
Robb Report,
26 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for adolescent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adolescent
Adjective
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As adult influencers dominate online fashion culture, and tweens and teens see the same content as adults, there are fewer spaces for young people to develop styles of their own.
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While veterans jockey for new contracts during free agency, young players are getting their tryout opportunities with NBA summer league games beginning this week.
Adjective
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Of course, this is no tragedy — there comes a time to put away childish things, 40-something video-gamers notwithstanding — but the movie comes close to regarding it as such.
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This one has a charming clover shape to make your space feel animated, but not childish.
Adjective
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His position is assumed, in turn, by the largest of the immature fish, who, thanks to the tragedy, finally gets to grow up.
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Even Stevens was never afraid to go all out for its constant string of gags and jokes, led by Shia LaBeouf as the immature prankster Louis Stevens.
Noun
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The penalties may be increased if violators have a prior criminal history and apply to both adults and juveniles.
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The three remaining male juveniles were arrested in Los Angeles.
Adjective
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Miami’s infantile offense can’t afford to carry this team.
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That now seemed an infantile idea.
Adjective
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Over the same period, entry-level head count at the high-intensity firms rose 12%, contradicting predictions and fears that young or inexperienced workers would be most at risk of losing their jobs to AI.
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Immer and Lois work with land stewards to find projects that make sense for eager but often inexperienced volunteers.
Noun
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While teenagers have always looked to older peers for inspiration, social media has accelerated and amplified this process.
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Cotter’s colleagues and students follow the national team closely, while Premier League clubs are popular among teenagers.
Noun
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Neither bride nor groom have kids from previous relationships out of wedlock.
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Jake’s analysis found that the UK’s intervention may run all summer, with media plurality issues around news plus kids’ channels portfolios in the spotlight.
Cite this Entry
“Adolescent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adolescent. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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