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
Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Oct. 2025
Those videos included some featuring baby and adolescent monkeys whose genitalia were burned and cut off.
—Chris Spargo, PEOPLE, 31 Oct. 2025
Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 6 Oct. 2025
Twenge has spent much of the past decade warning parents about the risks of giving young adolescents unlimited access to smartphones and social media.
—Tom Huddleston Jr., CNBC, 5 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for adolescent
Adjective
Leone's horror anthology features a wraparound story about a babysitter, Sarah (Katie Maguire), and her two adolescent charges, Timmy and Tia, who find an unmarked VHS in their trick-or-treat bag.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Oct. 2025
Those videos included some featuring baby and adolescent monkeys whose genitalia were burned and cut off.
—Chris Spargo, PEOPLE, 31 Oct. 2025
Noun
Children and adolescents aged 2 to 18, without other high-risk factors like immunosuppression, can receive and should be offered the vaccine if they were not previously immunized, according to the guidance.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 6 Oct. 2025
Twenge has spent much of the past decade warning parents about the risks of giving young adolescents unlimited access to smartphones and social media.
—Tom Huddleston Jr., CNBC, 5 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for adolescent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adolescent
Adjective
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The group, mainly millennials and young Gen Xers, grew up in the internet era and recognize how technology can switch up the status quo.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
9 Nov. 2025
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Despite the absentees, Arteta had experienced players like Ben White, Piero Hincapie and Christian Norgaard to call upon, as well as exciting young talent like Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri.—
James McNicholas,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The brand is seeing an upswing post-pandemic, as these childish styles, long favored in Asia-Pacific countries like Japan and South Korea, become increasingly popular in China and the West.—
Lucy Maguire,
Vogue,
30 Oct. 2025
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She’s fallen under the sway of a fashionable worldview in which logic is paramount, and the realm of emotion and magic and even dæmons is just childish fancy.—
Lev Grossman,
The Atlantic,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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After potting, pick off any flowers or immature fruit.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
4 Nov. 2025
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Move over manchildren, there are some women who would like to take your immature crown.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Police said the group of seven juveniles and two 18-year-olds first hit Monterey Trail High School in the 8600 block of Power Inn Road, forcibly taking jewelry from at least one person before fleeing the campus.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
7 Nov. 2025
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According to the complaint, the two men and one of the juveniles practiced shooting at gun ranges in September and October.—
Tom Winter,
NBC news,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The incredibly painful, totally infantile, Banana Republic government shutdown ends.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
10 Nov. 2025
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The infantile form of Tay-Sachs manifests between three and six months of age, undermining gross motor control, worsening into seizures, deafness, and paralysis, and death by age five.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Jokic didn’t overtake Jamal Murray as Denver’s leading scorer until their seventh game of the season, after a 33-point performance Wednesday against a Miami Heat frontcourt that was woefully undersized and inexperienced the instant Bam Adebayo exited with a foot injury.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
8 Nov. 2025
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Henderson has struggled in that role as a rookie, and Jennings is inexperienced at the pro level.—
Doug Kyed,
Boston Herald,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The teenager, who had run away from home and become involved with Chan’s group, described to police a flat where methamphetamine use was constant and violence frequent.—
Christina Coulter,
PEOPLE,
10 Nov. 2025
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I'mPhaedra Trethan, back after a couple of college visits with my teenager, and contemplating this story over my coffee.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
10 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The driveway was already full of other cars arriving and various parents and kids taking photos like crazy and squealing.—
Rachel Raposas,
PEOPLE,
7 Nov. 2025
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They were married in 1968, with Miguel Bezos adopting her young son, and had two more kids, Christina and Mark.—
Vinod Sreeharsha,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Adolescent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adolescent. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.
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