as in childish
having or showing the annoying qualities (as silliness) associated with children
the infantile humor that teenage boys are justly famous for
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Recent Examples of infantile
But they’re born with severe brain malformations, eye abnormalities and a debilitating form of epilepsy called infantile spasms.
—
Erika Edwards, NBC news, 4 Oct. 2025
Muscle Man is a deeply ironic book, creating a vast chasm between Harold’s strongman self-image and his infantile powers of self-expression.
—Robert Rubsam, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2025
Additionally, some dogs, particularly breeds with extreme infantile traits (such as pugs and French bulldogs), may appear as helpless, harmless, and innocent as small children.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 22 May 2025
The curious case of infantile amnesia The phenomenon of not remembering anything from early childhood is known as infantile amnesia.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for infantile
Erika Edwards, NBC news, 4 Oct. 2025
Muscle Man is a deeply ironic book, creating a vast chasm between Harold’s strongman self-image and his infantile powers of self-expression.
—Robert Rubsam, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2025
Additionally, some dogs, particularly breeds with extreme infantile traits (such as pugs and French bulldogs), may appear as helpless, harmless, and innocent as small children.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 22 May 2025
The curious case of infantile amnesia The phenomenon of not remembering anything from early childhood is known as infantile amnesia.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for infantile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for infantile
Adjective
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Maybe this is just appealing to my simplest, most childish instincts, reacting to bright colours like a toddler might.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
21 Jan. 2026
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When Smith drives us in the golf cart, hunched close to the wheel, a look of childish mischief spreads over his face.—
Sam Kestenbaum,
Vulture,
2 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Unlike older drugs, this formula safely accounts for a baby’s immature metabolism.—
Kwesi Akonu Adom Mensah Forson,
The Conversation,
26 Jan. 2026
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This is really a way to tell the story from a much more immature point of view.—
Joe Lynch,
Billboard,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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An adolescent, Romito 2, was laid to rest in the arms of Romito 1, believed to be an adult female.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
31 Jan. 2026
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When the proportion of benefit to burden for a patient is uncertain, parents should be supported, along with the child or adolescent, to make a decision that best aligns with their values and assessment.—
Amy Caruso Brown,
STAT,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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In the end, Terry’s sons pleaded guilty to third-degree murder and arson and spent nearly a decade in juvenile detention.—
Liam Quinn,
PEOPLE,
31 Jan. 2026
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The victim reported that while she and another juvenile female were seated in their vehicle, a man pulled in front of them in a separate vehicle and allegedly pointed a firearm at them.—
Stephen Underwood,
Hartford Courant,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Infantile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/infantile. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.
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