as in maturity
the state of being fully grown or developed
the period between childhood and adulthood is called adolescence
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Recent Examples of adulthood
Is his fear of adulthood stronger than his anxiety about his family’s safety?
—
Deborah Treisman, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2025
Many people carry attachment wounds into their adulthood; fears of rejection, interpersonal mistrust or even avoidance of attachment altogether.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
To us, life is more than a two‑act play — youth and adulthood — followed only by shrinking horizons and decline.
—Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 13 Sep. 2025
Now on the brink of adulthood, Belly finds herself at a crossroads and must decide which brother has her heart.
—Billie Melissa, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
Adverse prenatal environments change how neurons in the hippocampus develop, leaving offspring more sensitive to threats in adulthood.
—New Atlas, 11 Sep. 2025
Four stages of motherhood, depicted over twenty-six years, and following my own path as my child grew into adulthood.
—Joanne Harris
september 8, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2025
Davidson struggled but in adulthood found an advocate in his friend’s mother Dottie (Maxine Peake) and under the mentorship of Tommy (Peter Mullan), who saw through the uncontrollable ticks and swearing and gave him a job.
—Carole Horst, Variety, 7 Sep. 2025
Hisahito’s father, Akishino, the Emperor’s younger brother, was the last male to reach adulthood in the family, in 1985.
—Mari Yamaguchi, Twin Cities, 6 Sep. 2025
Deborah Treisman, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2025
Many people carry attachment wounds into their adulthood; fears of rejection, interpersonal mistrust or even avoidance of attachment altogether.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
To us, life is more than a two‑act play — youth and adulthood — followed only by shrinking horizons and decline.
—Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 13 Sep. 2025
Now on the brink of adulthood, Belly finds herself at a crossroads and must decide which brother has her heart.
—Billie Melissa, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
Adverse prenatal environments change how neurons in the hippocampus develop, leaving offspring more sensitive to threats in adulthood.
—New Atlas, 11 Sep. 2025
Four stages of motherhood, depicted over twenty-six years, and following my own path as my child grew into adulthood.
—Joanne Harris
september 8, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2025
Davidson struggled but in adulthood found an advocate in his friend’s mother Dottie (Maxine Peake) and under the mentorship of Tommy (Peter Mullan), who saw through the uncontrollable ticks and swearing and gave him a job.
—Carole Horst, Variety, 7 Sep. 2025
Hisahito’s father, Akishino, the Emperor’s younger brother, was the last male to reach adulthood in the family, in 1985.
—Mari Yamaguchi, Twin Cities, 6 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adulthood
maturity
Noun
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Khumalo points to the maturity, technical ability, and depth of the squad as key reasons for optimism.—
Sindiswa Mabunda,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Nicholas Stevens, vice president of product for AI and home loans at Zillow, offered a concrete example of where the company is on this maturity scale—which, to my ear, sounded like Level 1 edging into Level 2.—
Sharon Goldman,
Fortune,
11 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Adulthood.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adulthood. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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