as in grown-up
a fully grown person
at the beach, the adults sat under broad umbrellas while the children splashed in the water
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
2
as in pornographic
dealing in or with explicitly sexual material
an adult magazine
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in matured
fully grown or developed
insects that are butterflies in their adult stage
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of adult
Cory Franklin, Chicago Tribune, 12 Jan. 2026
TikTok has captured the attention of more than one-third of all US adults and more than 60% of the highly desirable 19-to-29-year-old segment.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 12 Jan. 2026
Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 21 Oct. 2025
The Melon Patch also incorporates puppets to bring in a non-adult character who relates to kids.
—Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for adult
Noun
Before the adult use cannabis law took effect in 2020, fewer than 2% of adult Illinois residents met the same criteria, and cannabis use is now especially common in those with severe mental illness.
—Cory Franklin, Chicago Tribune, 12 Jan. 2026
TikTok has captured the attention of more than one-third of all US adults and more than 60% of the highly desirable 19-to-29-year-old segment.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 12 Jan. 2026
Adjective
Tickets are $10 for non-adult guests, free for hotel guests and non-guest children under age 12, with proceeds benefiting Give Kids the World, a nonprofit resort providing vacations to ill children and their families.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 21 Oct. 2025
The Melon Patch also incorporates puppets to bring in a non-adult character who relates to kids.
—Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for adult
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adult
Noun
-
Reportedly shot for less than $100,000, this tale of Pooh and Piglet all grown-up and running amok recently opened to box office success in Mexico and is currently playing on cinema screens around America.—
Clark Collis,
EW.com,
16 Feb. 2023
Adjective
-
Roses should reach their mature size and flower consistently.—
Lauren Landers,
The Spruce,
10 Jan. 2026
-
In general, hens become mature enough to lay eggs around six months of age, though this varies slightly by breed.—
Michele Laufik,
Martha Stewart,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Until then, the only limits on their selections were Vimeo’s standard terms of service, which prohibit content that incites violence or qualifies as pornographic.—
Chris O'Falt,
IndieWire,
22 Dec. 2025
-
Under a new law, Florida began requiring age verification checks for visitors to pornographic websites, notes Paul Bischoff, editor of Comparitech, a site that reviews personal cybersecurity software.—
David Folkenflik,
NPR,
17 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
Think of this as the matured version of the Kool-Aid dip-dye technique.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Harbaugh is also known to love the idea of working for John Mara, a popular league elder known for his common decency.—
Ian O'Connor,
New York Times,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Saikat Choudhury’s detailed graphite drawings honor connections between youth and elders, bridge cultural traditions, and acknowledge the disparity in belonging as well.—
Diana Argabrite,
Mercury News,
11 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The song eventually escalates into a lecherous, breathless, glittering climax of incandescent synthesizers and melodic moans—an erotic asphyxiation depicted as utterly glorious.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Jan. 2026
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Reijn’s last two films for A24, Babygirl and Bodies Bodies Bodies, were both starry buzz titles — an erotic thriller starring Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickinson, and a satirical ensemble slasher, respectively.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
14 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The city’s colorful outdoor food markets lay abandoned—the usual smell of ripe papaya replaced by the stench of yesterday’s scraps, rotting in the heat.—
Armando Ledezma,
New Yorker,
14 Jan. 2026
-
The opportunity may be ripe for investors to buy bank stocks at a discount.—
Fred Imbert,
CNBC,
14 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Adult.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adult. Accessed 18 Jan. 2026.
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