juvenile 1 of 2

adjective

ˈjü-və-ˌnī(-ə)l How to pronounce juvenile (audio)
Definition of juvenilenext
1
as in young
being in the early stage of life, growth, or development a juvenile alligator just hatched from its egg

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2
as in childish
having or showing the annoying qualities (as silliness) associated with children throwing a tantrum is rather juvenile behavior for a person of your age

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3
as in adolescent
lacking in adult experience or maturity a spoiled, juvenile golfer who does not know how to win gracefully

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juvenile

2 of 2

noun

as in kid
a young person who is between infancy and adulthood a medical study that followed juveniles through adolescence and into adulthood

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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 juvenile
Adjective
One is a 170-page bill that significantly changes juvenile justice procedures, mandates the amount of time served until someone becomes eligible for parole and allows counties to raise a 1% sales tax to fund a juvenile detention center. — Jack Harvel august 26, Kansas City Star, 26 Aug. 2026 The teen was booked into juvenile detention after detectives screened two counts of first-degree murder with the Utah County Attorney’s Office, police said. — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026
Noun
Brown is the only one charged with first-degree employing a juvenile in the commission of a crime. — Stephanie Ballesteros, CBS News, 23 Aug. 2026 According to a message that school officials sent to parents, the juveniles may have been trespassing on the campus. — Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for juvenile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for juvenile
  1. young
  2. childish
  3. adolescent
  4. kid
  5. immature
  6. inexperienced
  7. child
Adjective
  • At face value, young men exercising should not be reason to sound the alarms, and yet there is something treacherous about men in their formative years placing physical beauty as the ultimate expression of self-actualization.
    — José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 27 Aug. 2026
  • From bustling city centres to local classrooms, thousands of young people will have the chance to take part.
    — K.J. Yossman, Variety, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of young
Adjective
  • There is a playful feeling to many PATTARAPHAN pieces, but this is not childish work.
    — Rachel Elspeth Gross, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026
  • And also settling a very childish dispute between the airport and the contractors.
    — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of childish
Adjective
  • But the increasing role of private equity firms is also driving up costs, with adolescent athletes looking at pricier options outside of rec leagues at younger and younger ages.
    — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The National Institutes of Health found a 121% increase in adolescent overdose deaths between 2010 and 2021, a sobering reminder of the impact on schools.
    — Nathalia Fernandez, New York Daily News, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of adolescent
Noun
  • Davis, his wife and kids painted the picture of a family that had deep, meaningful connections to the heartbeat of this burgeoning southern metropolis in NASCAR country that, like so many cities, places its sports stars on a pedestal.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • My kids loved Sakura, which takes a similarly hopscotching approach to Asia, mixing together Japanese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, and Malaysian on its menu.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of kid
Adjective
  • There’s nothing wrong with holding on to childhood and being a little immature from time to time.
    — Loren Savini, Allure, 22 Aug. 2026
  • The acclaimed writer Rachel Cusk’s controversial new novel Life of M is an intimate, unvarnished character study of an A-list movie star who is depicted as hollow, immature and cynical, an intellectual poseur and an artist wannabe.
    — Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of immature
Adjective
  • Anna will also be strong on offense and young, inexperienced defense.
    — Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Aug. 2026
  • And Fins have a secondary so inexperienced the guys might need asbestos uniforms against the expected torching.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of inexperienced
Noun
  • In total, the support is equal to almost 70,000 Singapore dollars ($55,000) by the time a child is 17.
    — Angelica Ang, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, settled a lawsuit over the harms of social media to children brought by California and other states.
    — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of child

Phrases Containing juvenile

Browse Nearby Words

juvenescent
juvenile
juvenile delinquent
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Cite this Entry

“Juvenile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/juvenile. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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