as in adult
a fully grown person
once you turn 12, you get to eat with the grown-ups at Thanksgiving
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in grown
to become mature
everyone has to grow up at some point in their lives
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of grown-up
Dahvi Shira, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Just like warm neutrals, rich chocolate brown makes pink feel quite grown-up.
—Lauren Jones, Southern Living, 9 Aug. 2025
Another hint that this go-around with Phantom—which arrives two years after the iconic Broadway production ended its 35-year-long run—will be more grown-up?
—Juan A. Ramírez, Vogue, 16 July 2025
But most of it is decidedly and delightfully grown-up.
—David Lyman, The Enquirer, 2 July 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
Clark Collis, EW.com, 16 Feb. 2023
Philip Metres
august 27, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2025
The proud mom, who shares Ricki with her late fiancé Ricky Hendrick, reflected on how much her daughter has grown up for her 19th birthday in 2024.
—Kayla Grant, People.com, 27 Aug. 2025
Leicester had wanted to sign him on schoolboy terms and that, of course, was tempting for a boy who had grown up in that city.
—Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2025
Kids have grown up with devices in hand, pods in ears.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 14 Aug. 2025
She's grown up to be one of the most dominant high school softball pitchers Arizona has ever seen, leading the Wolves to three straight state titles.
—Richard Obert, AZCentral.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
Cherry Stem was designed to feel more complex, sexier, woodier and all grown-up.
—Dahvi Shira, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Just like warm neutrals, rich chocolate brown makes pink feel quite grown-up.
—Lauren Jones, Southern Living, 9 Aug. 2025
Another hint that this go-around with Phantom—which arrives two years after the iconic Broadway production ended its 35-year-long run—will be more grown-up?
—Juan A. Ramírez, Vogue, 16 July 2025
But most of it is decidedly and delightfully grown-up.
—David Lyman, The Enquirer, 2 July 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
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
Verb
The students are often shocked by unapologetic solidarity for Palestine, having grown up in a society dominated by a pro-Israel narrative.
—Philip Metres
august 27, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2025
The proud mom, who shares Ricki with her late fiancé Ricky Hendrick, reflected on how much her daughter has grown up for her 19th birthday in 2024.
—Kayla Grant, People.com, 27 Aug. 2025
Leicester had wanted to sign him on schoolboy terms and that, of course, was tempting for a boy who had grown up in that city.
—Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2025
Kids have grown up with devices in hand, pods in ears.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 14 Aug. 2025
She's grown up to be one of the most dominant high school softball pitchers Arizona has ever seen, leading the Wolves to three straight state titles.
—Richard Obert, AZCentral.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grown-up
Adjective
-
After mature plants have bloomed, use clean, sharp pruners to cut the plant down by one-third, cutting into green growth only and not into the woody stems, which won’t regenerate new growth.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Thanks to quantum cloud platforms like IBM Q, Amazon Braket and Xanadu, researchers can access quantum processors today, running simulations even before fully mature quantum hardware becomes standard.—
Somnath Banerjee,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
During Full House, Sweetin said the child actors would often come across as more professional than their adult counterparts amid all the tomfoolery.—
Daysia Tolentino,
Entertainment Weekly,
14 Sep. 2025
-
For decades, the mighty roars of dinosaurs have thundered through movies, TV shows, and filled the imaginations of children and adults alike.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
But the arc of that story has grown harder to follow.—
Alice Lassman,
Time,
8 Sep. 2025
-
While many corporate executives have grown more cautious about speaking on issues that could be seen as political, Santo Domingo has only amplified her voice, embodying her belief that women should lead the industry with integrity and purpose.—
WWD Staff,
Footwear News,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Grown-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grown-up. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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