as in inexperienced
lacking in adult experience or maturity
a story about a callow youth who learns the value of hard work and self-reliance
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Recent Examples of callow
At a moment when American architecture was caught between an exhausted Modernism and a callow Postmodernism, Frank Gehry showed the way forward.
—
Martin Filler, The New York Review of Books, 12 Dec. 2025
The callow striver Redmond Barry is played by 1970s heartthrob Ryan O’Neal, in one of his best performances, a reluctant conscript in the British army after leaving his Irish home in disgrace.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 29 Sep. 2025
But obviously, these days, that’s a feeling that isn’t exclusive to just callow indie kids.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 21 Mar. 2025
The two performers effortlessly convey their characters’ callow charm, and there’s a disarming lack of to-do in the way Uttapa, at the center of the story, rides its tonal shifts as Olmo faces moments of awakening, both sublime and potentially shattering.
—Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for callow
Martin Filler, The New York Review of Books, 12 Dec. 2025
The callow striver Redmond Barry is played by 1970s heartthrob Ryan O’Neal, in one of his best performances, a reluctant conscript in the British army after leaving his Irish home in disgrace.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 29 Sep. 2025
But obviously, these days, that’s a feeling that isn’t exclusive to just callow indie kids.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 21 Mar. 2025
The two performers effortlessly convey their characters’ callow charm, and there’s a disarming lack of to-do in the way Uttapa, at the center of the story, rides its tonal shifts as Olmo faces moments of awakening, both sublime and potentially shattering.
—Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for callow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for callow
Adjective
-
Raman, who had endorsed Bass’ reelection before throwing her hat in at the last minute, came off as inexperienced, touchy and unprepared.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
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They were throttled from start to finish, giving a young and inexperienced Spurs team plenty of confidence that Monday’s loss was nothing more than a fluke.—
Jon Krawczynski,
New York Times,
7 May 2026
Adjective
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Only this week, Conway doubled down with a stunt in front of Mfume’s district office, an act that would be immature and juvenile in an elementary school student government election, let alone a campaign for Congress.—
Bobby Zirkin,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Apr. 2026
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Faced with the prospect of deciding between Urlacher, a late bloomer in high school who almost wasn’t recruited before becoming a college All-American, and Michigan State receiver Plaxico Burress, regarded throughout the NFL as gifted but immature, the Bears did not have to choose.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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For any adolescent, a private bedroom is both sanctuary and mood board.—
Anna Wiener,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
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Khan is associate program director for the child/adolescent psychiatry fellowship at University of California, Los Angeles.—
Sarah Mohiuddin,
STAT,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
And there was going to be an awful lot of emotional resonance and relatability with today’s generation of young women with Mary Bennet, more so than there would be [with Elizabeth Bennet.—
K.J. Yossman,
Variety,
7 May 2026
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Men are more positive than women, and young people much more positive than their parents.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
New Yorker,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Callow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/callow. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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