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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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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
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Recent Examples of juvenile
Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 16 Apr. 2025
Bakken was an intern at the attorney’s office while studying pre-law in college, then left to be a juvenile probation officer in Dakota County.
—Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 10 Apr. 2025
Patricio Chile, ABC News, 29 Mar. 2025
The technique has proven particularly effective in juveniles and smaller-bodied species, though larger individuals can also be sampled with proper handling.
—Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for juvenile
Adjective
The juvenile colossal squid and the glacial glass squid, called Galiteuthis glacialis, appear similar, with both having hooks at the end of their two longer tentacles and transparent bodies.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 16 Apr. 2025
Bakken was an intern at the attorney’s office while studying pre-law in college, then left to be a juvenile probation officer in Dakota County.
—Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 10 Apr. 2025
Noun
Shortly after midnight Saturday, deputies were dispatched to the large party and witnessed 30 to 40 juveniles running and screaming from the house, according to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department.
—Patricio Chile, ABC News, 29 Mar. 2025
The technique has proven particularly effective in juveniles and smaller-bodied species, though larger individuals can also be sampled with proper handling.
—Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for juvenile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for juvenile
Adjective
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Art Across Boundaries Since a young age, Yi Ming has been passionate about the power the visual arts possess to transcend not only philosophical and disciplinary boundaries, but also cultural and national borders.—
Connie Etemadi,
USA Today,
24 Apr. 2025
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Her daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, have followed in their mother’s footsteps to raise cancer awareness among young people.—
Stephanie Giang-Paunon,
FOXNews.com,
23 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The childish use of vulgar profanity simply leads peoople to view the speaker as being unable to express his/her view.—
Letters to the editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
4 Apr. 2025
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One standout was Helena Bonham Carter’s Red Queen running around the palace like a childish tyrant.—
Bill Desowitz,
IndieWire,
26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Starring Jeff Daniels and Laura Linney as the sparring, intellectual parents to two adolescent sons (Jesse Eisenberg and Owen Kline), The Squid and the Whale responds to some of Baumbach’s own experiences as a product of divorce in the 1980s.—
Marley Marius,
Vogue,
30 Apr. 2025
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One of the main jobs of the adolescent human is to pull away from their parents in preparation for adulthood.—
Cyndy Etler,
Hartford Courant,
28 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Campbell was the kid who trained with the same private track coach.—
Brooks Kubena,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
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The trend, like so many before it, is exactly what kids love the most.—
Annabelle Canela,
Parents,
1 May 2025
Adjective
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The treatment was derived from human embryonic stem cells, which researchers had coaxed into becoming immature brain cells called neuron progenitors.—
Jon Hamilton,
NPR,
17 Apr. 2025
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Despite her experiences, Ellie is still emotionally immature, seeing independence as its own authority.—
Mary McNamara,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Most of the justices sounded sympathetic to a group of Maryland parents who want their elementary school children excused from class when the books are being read.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2025
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Their mom, Kris Jenner, Rob and his daughter, Dream, 8, joined Kim, Khloé and their children.—
Charna Flam,
People.com,
22 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Juvenile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/juvenile. Accessed 5 May. 2025.
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