boys

noun

plural of boy
1
as in kids
a male person who has not yet reached adulthood a giggling little boy ran by

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in boyfriends
a male romantic companion their teenaged daughter has a new boy, and she's just crazy about him

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of boys The inspiration started with two boys needing a place to sit. — Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 18 Oct. 2026 Their teammate had begun the season competing in boys’ races before switching to girls’ competition. — Jackson Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026 In the few seconds before the light changed, a group of young Black boys rode up alongside us on motorbikes. — Hanif Abdurraqib, New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2026 Krantz said that when officers arrived, two children, both boys, and a teacher were deceased. — Irene Byon, NBC news, 16 Oct. 2026 Seventy-seven percent of the teen girls and 51 percent of the teen boys reported wearing fragrance every day. — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026 The parents of two twin boys who were let go from the show claimed that Busfield inappropriately touched the children on the set in Albuquerque. — ABC News, 16 Oct. 2026 In the book, Cathy is essentially setting up two boys to get in trouble. — Jasmine Vojdani, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2026 Role playing difficult situations at home prepares boys to intervene in the moment. — Katie Hurley, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for boys
  1. kids
  2. boyfriends
  3. teenagers
  4. beaux
  5. lads
  6. youths
Noun
  • Everyone thinks their kids’ slang is ridiculous and their parents’ politics naive.
    — Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Guests with kids can stay in the main building and take advantage of the onsite restaurant and Kids Club (which people absolutely rave about) and those without children can escape to the Praia Collection.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of kids
Noun
  • And, if so, what will happen to all those chatbot boyfriends?
    — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2026
  • People’s responses were also colored by everyone suddenly having lawyers and managers and agents, wives, husbands, boyfriends, girlfriends, friends.
    — Michael Schneider, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of boyfriends
Noun
  • After the last practices and meetings ahead of their Friday night lights, around seven or eight brawny, youthful teenagers walk into Top Speed for a primer session.
    — PJ Green October 14, Kansas City Star, 14 Oct. 2026
  • In August, 16 teenagers were arrested for trespassing at the Congress.
    — Sara Tenenbaum, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of teenagers
Noun
  • So are their girlfriends and wives, who support their beaus in stadiums and at home.
    — Kate Hogan, PEOPLE, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Despite some very not-so-subtle hints from yours truly, my past beaus have never gifted me a handbag on Valentine’s Day, either.
    — Michelle Baricevic, InStyle, 26 Jan. 2026
Definition of beaux
Noun
  • How do two middle-class lads in ratty threads, who might very well have both been played by Robert Pattinson, fast-track an appointment with Jesus?
    — Gabriel Szatan, Pitchfork, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Just as Annette Badland teased to Deadline, Mae’s shares come in clutch from beyond the grave at the Bi-Annual Shareholders’ Meeting, only attended by the three lads from the pub.
    — Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of lads
Noun
  • The fighting involved armed youths from the Pakam community in Rumbek North County fighting against armed youths of the Nyang community in Rumbek Central County, both part of the Dinka ethnic group.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Approximately 18% of all Latino high school students have seriously contemplated suicide and 42% of Latino youths reported constantly feeling sad or hopeless, recent congressional studies found.
    — Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of youths

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Cite this Entry

“Boys.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/boys. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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