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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
2
as in pornographic
dealing in or with explicitly sexual material
an adult magazine
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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
as in adulthood
the state of being fully grown or developed
decorating her own house gave her a sense of adultness and independence
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of adult
Emily Baker-White, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025
There is great Houdini trivia, and plenty of action and twists to keep kids and adults turning the pages.
—Lizz Schumer, People.com, 12 May 2025
Tara Duggan, San Francisco Chronicle, 6 Mar. 2023
The first whale found this month, a sub-adult male gray whale, was recovered Jan. 11 in Winchester Bay and was slain by killer whales, according to Milstein.
—oregonlive, 24 Jan. 2023
See All Example Sentences for adult
Noun
If a teenager asks an adult scientist how to make fentanyl in his bathtub, the adult will likely not only refuse to provide a recipe, but also close the door to further inquiry, said Iyer.
—Emily Baker-White, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025
There is great Houdini trivia, and plenty of action and twists to keep kids and adults turning the pages.
—Lizz Schumer, People.com, 12 May 2025
Adjective
There has not been a sighting of a calf since 2005, though juvenile and sub-adult whales have been seen more recently, Crance said.
—Tara Duggan, San Francisco Chronicle, 6 Mar. 2023
The first whale found this month, a sub-adult male gray whale, was recovered Jan. 11 in Winchester Bay and was slain by killer whales, according to Milstein.
—oregonlive, 24 Jan. 2023
See All Example Sentences for adult
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adult
Adjective
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If skin care has always attracted a sophisticated, mature clientele with higher spending capacity, the introduction of makeup enabled the store to engage with knowledgeable younger customers, expanding the core customer base, now aged 35 to 55, with 30 percent made of international consumers.—
Sandra Salibian,
Footwear News,
8 May 2025
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Also consider: Spacing and Height: Know your plant’s mature size to avoid overcrowding or gaps.—
Debbie Wolfe,
Popular Science,
8 May 2025
Adjective
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Meanwhile, Chen moved onto other roles, including director Oliver Stone's 1993 film Heaven and Earth and Lee's 2007 erotic drama Lust, Caution.—
Lawrence Yee,
People.com,
10 May 2025
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The Rise and Fall of the Second American Republic: Reconstruction, 1860–1920 by Manisha Sinha Andrew Delbanco The Connoisseur of Desire F. Scott Fitzgerald’s great theme of erotic anticipation is never more alive than in the longings of Jay Gatsby.—
Rachel Nolan,
The New York Review of Books,
9 May 2025
Adjective
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The time would seem to be ripe for the release of the aforementioned songs; reps for Cornell and the bandmembers did not immediately respond to Variety‘s requests for comment.—
Jem Aswad,
Variety,
19 May 2025
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Going Wild Berry Picking Summer meant waiting until those wild berry bushes hidden in the woods near grandma's house were finally ripe for the picking.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
17 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Adult.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adult. Accessed 22 May. 2025.
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