as in immature
having or showing the annoying qualities (as silliness) associated with children
you almost spoiled the ceremony for everyone with your childish giggling
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Recent Examples of childish
Child actor Jax James has been set in the series regular role of Dougie, Maureen’s only son who is not even ten but acts like a 60-year-old scholar and has no time for childish fancies.
—
Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 10 Mar. 2026
By the second half of the twentieth century, media depictions of bicycles often showed them as something exclusively for children, or for odd, childish adults.
—Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 5 Mar. 2026
The queen—blond, leggy, wearing dark glasses and a red flapper dress—lounges on an armchair while ministers in suits delight their childish king by dancing with him, turning him and his big belly in cartwheels and the like.
—Jennifer Homans, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
Hence the childish clown imagery in an era before coulrophobia was widely talked about.
—Fielding Buck, Oc Register, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for childish
Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 10 Mar. 2026
By the second half of the twentieth century, media depictions of bicycles often showed them as something exclusively for children, or for odd, childish adults.
—Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 5 Mar. 2026
The queen—blond, leggy, wearing dark glasses and a red flapper dress—lounges on an armchair while ministers in suits delight their childish king by dancing with him, turning him and his big belly in cartwheels and the like.
—Jennifer Homans, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
Hence the childish clown imagery in an era before coulrophobia was widely talked about.
—Fielding Buck, Oc Register, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for childish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for childish
Adjective
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The landscaping was sparse and immature.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Apr. 2026
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The two did a nice job portraying teenagers who go back and forth from sincere to ridiculously immature, but the best part was their horror when Jost fired back.—
Omar L. Gallaga,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Narrated by Josh Gad, Orangutan introduces us to Indah, an adolescent orangutan preparing to leave her family unit for the first time and venture into the wild.—
K. Thor Jensen,
PC Magazine,
17 Apr. 2026
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Recently released from prison, coach Walt Mangian joins a local youth gym to help a ragtag team of adolescent boxers aspiring to a national championship.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The driver and a juvenile boy were both taken to the hospital with unknown injuries, according to the release.—
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
10 Apr. 2026
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Leatherman ran toward two juvenile bystanders while Selmer ran toward downtown Emmitsburg, according to documents.—
JT Moodee Lockman,
CBS News,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Childish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/childish. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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