as in grown-ups
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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Recent Examples of adults
For many adults, the beauty book triggered memories of a pre-social-media childhood spent cutting pictures out of magazines and pasting them into notebooks.
—
Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2026
Or the move could have been to help the calf stay afloat—unlike adults, young sperm whales tend to sink and need to swim harder to reach the surface to breathe.
—Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 26 Mar. 2026
Some of the suits claim that anthropomorphic chatbots, while engaging with users as platonic and romantic companions, acted as potent suicide coaches, helping teenagers and adults alike write suicide notes and plan their deaths.
—Maggie Harrison Dupré, Futurism, 26 Mar. 2026
Although Lakeside developers had planned to build the first homes for adults 55 and up, the details of that recently evolved to incorporate the Margaritaville brand and lifestyle experience.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 26 Mar. 2026
Nearly 10% of adults smoked cigarettes in 2024, the report found.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 26 Mar. 2026
The city says extending it to seniors could be a big help for older adults living on a fixed income.
—James Taylor, CBS News, 26 Mar. 2026
South Africa’s gambling industry regulator estimates that around two-thirds of adults engage in online bets, more than double 2017 levels.
—Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 20 Mar. 2026
Because of his experience, Cheatem raises awareness about screening through his social media and everyday conversations, working to challenge the perception that colorectal cancer only affects older adults.
—Miriam Fauzia, Dallas Morning News, 19 Mar. 2026
Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2026
Or the move could have been to help the calf stay afloat—unlike adults, young sperm whales tend to sink and need to swim harder to reach the surface to breathe.
—Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 26 Mar. 2026
Some of the suits claim that anthropomorphic chatbots, while engaging with users as platonic and romantic companions, acted as potent suicide coaches, helping teenagers and adults alike write suicide notes and plan their deaths.
—Maggie Harrison Dupré, Futurism, 26 Mar. 2026
Although Lakeside developers had planned to build the first homes for adults 55 and up, the details of that recently evolved to incorporate the Margaritaville brand and lifestyle experience.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 26 Mar. 2026
Nearly 10% of adults smoked cigarettes in 2024, the report found.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 26 Mar. 2026
The city says extending it to seniors could be a big help for older adults living on a fixed income.
—James Taylor, CBS News, 26 Mar. 2026
South Africa’s gambling industry regulator estimates that around two-thirds of adults engage in online bets, more than double 2017 levels.
—Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 20 Mar. 2026
Because of his experience, Cheatem raises awareness about screening through his social media and everyday conversations, working to challenge the perception that colorectal cancer only affects older adults.
—Miriam Fauzia, Dallas Morning News, 19 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adults
elders
Noun
-
Supported by volunteers and partners, the garden offers hands-on opportunities that bring together traditional knowledge from community elders and historical records.—
John Leos,
AZCentral.com,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Deeply troubled by the demographic and social problems plaguing the Nenets people, Nerkagi founded the Land of Hope—a tundra school for children which combines modern and traditional education and provides support to orphans and lonely elders.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Adults.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adults. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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