grown-up 1 of 3

as in mature
relating to or typical of adults; displaying proper maturity they have yet to find a grown-up way of handling their marital problems

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

grown-up

2 of 3

noun

grown up

3 of 3

verb

past participle of grow up

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 grown-up
Adjective
A lot of fans will have grown-up during this time, just like the Stranger Things kids. Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025 Suffice to say, the film proves impressively grown-up about how far Bull must go to atone for his behavior. Peter Debruge, Variety, 11 June 2025 Think freshwater pearl accents, delicate gold box chains, and grown-up takes on the vibrant beads that once ruled summer camp. Lauren Alexis Fisher, Footwear News, 30 May 2025 As for your son himself, surely he is grown-up and intelligent enough to have sympathy for the family’s financial constraints, rather than resentment. Judith Martin, Mercury News, 20 May 2025 Hence, grown-up Chris is a nomadic misfit with two talents: sharpshooting and solving quadratic equations. Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2025 For anyone feeling lost, old, or generally confused as to what the hell’s going on, here’s a grown-up’s guide to all the references and moments in A Minecraft Movie that are driving fans wild. Issy Van Der Velde, Rolling Stone, 9 Apr. 2025 In its first season, Andor was cinematic, grown-up, grounded, and urgent, running bold choices or ideas, like deftly examining how oppressive administrations exert their political power. Photo: Courtesy Of Netflix., Refinery29, 1 Apr. 2025 Entertainment gossip and news from Newsweek's network of contributors Jamie Lynn Spears' daughter Maddie is all grown-up — and headed to prom (again)! Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2025
Noun
Reportedly shot for less than $100,000, this tale of Pooh and Piglet all grown-up and running amok recently opened to box office success in Mexico and is currently playing on cinema screens around America. Clark Collis, EW.com, 16 Feb. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grown-up
Adjective
  • While Baekhyun’s chocolate-brown hair during the Essence of Reverie promotions lent him a mature air, the tour’s platinum blonde hue underscored his playful spirit, one that shone with every wide-eyed glance and genuine laugh.
    Jeff Benjamin, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025
  • Bomberman: Act Zero (2006) is one of the greatest cautionary tales about how slapping a more mature coat of paint on a classic character can end up tarnishing an entire franchise.
    Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 24 June 2025
Noun
  • Medicaid and green energy cuts Some of the largest cost savings in the package come from the GOP plan to impose new work requirements on able-bodied single adults, ages 18 to 64 and without dependents, who receive Medicaid, the health care program used by 80 million Americans.
    Preston Fore, Fortune, 17 June 2025
  • In 2023, the National Endowment for the Arts reported that, over the preceding decade, the proportion of adults who read at least one book a year had fallen from fifty-five per cent to forty-eight per cent.
    Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 17 June 2025
Verb
  • The Jordan Brand has grown beyond just a basketball shoe.
    Jason Jones, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2025
  • But most impressive of all for Chenoweth is seeing how the brand has grown.
    Ariana Yaptangco, Glamour, 9 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Grown-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grown-up. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

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