GREW UP Synonyms: 47 Similar and Opposite Words

grew up

verb

past tense of grow up

as in grew

to become mature everyone has to grow up at some point in their lives

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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 grew up Ward, 29, grew up in the Cleveland suburb of Macedonia and attended Nordonia High School and Ohio State University. — Zack Meisel, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026 Carrie says her grandfather grew up in a strict Pentecostal home. — Meghan O'Brien, NBC news, 8 Sep. 2026 Both her parents were part of large families in the Jim Crow South and grew up picking fruit. — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2026 Matsson grew up with America, and American music, as the holy grail — the folk and blues icons like Dylan and James, the punk bands, the counterculture. — Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 8 Sep. 2026 In the book, Donaldson appears as a mentor figure to some of the younger contestants, who grew up watching him on YouTube. — Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026 Wolfe grew up especially fascinated with that classic lineup of Fleetwood Mac, watching the 1997 reunion concert video The Dance repeatedly as a young fan. — Steve Appleford, SPIN, 31 Aug. 2026 Eisenhower was born into a family of seven boys and grew up in Abilene, Kansas, on what was generally considered the wrong side of the tracks. — John T. Shaw, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026 Fothergill, who grew up in Minnesota idolizing Moss, said his partner held his own on the water, using forward-facing sonar to locate fish sitting 70 to 90 feet deep. — Amber Harding Outkick, FOXNews.com, 31 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for grew up

Verb

These grew louder each time a Ferrari left its garage and entered the pit lane before softening again, a call and response that echoed around the circuit.

— Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Fielder said the relationship grew strained as Evans tried to exert greater control over the project.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2026

Definition of grew

Verb

The Carlson-Vance partnership has generated more conservative blowback over the past few years as Carlson has progressed from skepticism of Israel into anti-Semitism, which Carlson denies.

— Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2026
The discussions involved outfielder Jackson Merrill, among other prospects, but never progressed.

— Andy McCullough, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of progressed

Verb

Former Liverpool and England midfielder Adam Lallana had a corrective procedure for an arrhythmia aged 16 and went on to play over 500 senior professional games.

— Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
The Pentagon is pausing guidelines for a controversial policy that has required testosterone testing for service members aged 30 and older, Reuters reports.

— Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of aged

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grew (in)

grew up

griddle cake

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“Grew up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grew%20up. Accessed 10 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of grew up

verb

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