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
This placed adolescent Danny right in the center of 1950s Hollywood. — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 18 Oct. 2026 Plans include growing its psychiatry residency, expanding adolescent psychiatry fellowships, and launching an addiction medicine fellowship to prepare future specialists. — Charlotte Observer, 15 Oct. 2026
Noun
But for children and adolescents whose bodies and skeletons are still growing, specialized pediatric orthopedic care is critical. — Jp Shaffer, Miami Herald, 22 June 2026 Despite being a high achiever, Veena Dinavahi struggled with anxiety and depression as an adolescent. — Rich Schapiro, NBC news, 20 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
  • That young Israelis are drifting right is in many ways a reflection of how Israeli society differs from other wealthy democracies.
    — Yarden Segev, NBC news, 27 Oct. 2026
  • But after Vucic conceded defeat Sunday evening, ecstatic young revelers filled the streets of Belgrade and ripped down the cordons around the encampment known as Caciland.
    — JOVANA GEC, Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of young
Adjective
  • Yet my first response was a childish pride that Dad had been deemed important enough to attract Hoover’s attention.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Oct. 2026
  • There has always been a childish aspect to him — in a good way — and his curiosity hasn’t dimmed even as his age has advanced.
    — Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of childish
Adjective
  • The connective tissue between different models remains immature, and real transformation depends on it.
    — Chris Koehler, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Edamame Edamame, or immature soybeans, is naturally rich in both protein and fiber.
    — Sarah Jividen, Verywell Health, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of immature
Noun
  • The tale is not just about an individual tragedy but one that exposes inequities involving the mistreatment of juveniles and the corrupting influence of power.
    — Marcus Librizzi, The Conversation, 26 Oct. 2026
  • At least 12 people, including six juveniles, were injured in a shooting near Florida A&M University's Bragg Memorial Stadium in Tallahassee on Saturday night, authorities said.
    — Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of juvenile
Adjective
  • Surely the infantile nature of it seems designed to appeal to one figure and one figure alone, which leads to an ambiguity left open during Rubio’s presentation.
    — Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2026
  • At 8 months, the child was also diagnosed with infantile epileptic spasms syndrome, a severe form of epilepsy.
    — Inaya Folarin Iman, CBS News, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of infantile
Adjective
  • Right tackle Joe Alt (neck) and left guard Kayode Awosika (fibula) remain out, meaning rookie center Jake Slaughter will continue to anchor a front that has featured several inexperienced players over the last two games.
    — Joaquin Ruiz, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
  • These experienced and skilled athletes, who are often 22 or 23 years old, are appealing to coaches, especially when compared with inexperienced and physically less developed freshmen.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of inexperienced
Noun
  • Office assistants and teachers were dealing with angry parents, while the volleyball coaching staff tried to prepare for league playoffs while fielding complex questions about federal equality laws from teenagers.
    — Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Related Stories The series follows Gadget Kid, an ordinary teenager with extraordinary ambitions, but absolutely no superpowers.
    — Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of teenager
Noun
  • The South is cheapest for young kids For families with young children, annual costs are lowest across much of the South.
    — Martie Bowser, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
  • When Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour stopped in London in 2024, the Prince of Wales wanted a photo with his kids and the world-famous singer.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 24 Oct. 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 28 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on adolescent

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about adolescent

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