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
The juvenile orca proceeded to eat the smaller fragments while the adults fed on what remained of the split-open body. — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 23 July 2026 In July 2024, Ayres saw how a group of orcas, including one juvenile, interacted with a dead sharp-tail sunfish (Masturus lanceolatus) that the group had previously killed. — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 23 July 2026
Noun
The juvenile then ate the smaller bits of sunfish that had exploded due to the impact, while the adults fed on what remained of the body, but did not consume the smaller sunfish fragments. — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 23 July 2026 One unnamed juvenile is charged with first-degree murder and attempted robbery with a deadly weapon, according to police. — Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 23 July 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
  • As Texas’ public-school enrollment experiences its first non-pandemic enrollment decline in decades, Tarrant County’s pre-K enrollment is also losing its youngest students.
    — Lina Ruiz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 July 2026
  • Additionally, thin or fragile skin can tear or simply not hold designs as well as younger, more elastic skin.
    — Rachel Brown Kirkland, AJC.com, 30 July 2026
Definition of young
Adjective
  • The basics of investing are set out in accessible, but not childish, terms, and the little tutorials are free of any hint of edutainment or corniness.
    — Marie Sapirie, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
  • The portrait of Musk that emerges here is that of a childish, terminally online man who desires to eliminate the messiness of contemporary life for a more rigid order.
    — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 13 July 2026
Definition of childish
Adjective
  • Globally, adolescent girls spend more time than boys performing household chores.
    — Courtney Busch, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
  • The brain’s reward and emotional systems develop earlier than the executive function centers that provide impulse control, and this imbalance peaks during the adolescent years.
    — J. Todd R. Lawrence, STAT, 27 July 2026
Definition of adolescent
Noun
  • Send both members of the cool-kid clique home at the same time?
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 24 July 2026
  • Traci, Howe said, was ready to have kids and was happy to have a man with a stable income.
    — Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 July 2026
Definition of kid
Adjective
  • For most of his life, however, Boukamp was viewed as socially awkward, immature, and emotionally isolated.
    — Walter Pavlo, Forbes.com, 25 July 2026
  • Edamame Edamame are young, immature soybeans harvested early.
    — Eleesha Lockett, Verywell Health, 17 July 2026
Definition of immature
Adjective
  • Many leave home early for school, and darkness adds difficulty for inexperienced motorists who may already be tired or rushed.
    — Chris Hardesty, AJC.com, 23 July 2026
  • But both Foulkes and the head of a consumer electronics organization say combining AI with other technologies is allaying those concerns by making boating easier and less intimidating for both experienced and inexperienced individuals.
    — Ed Garsten, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of inexperienced
Noun
  • On January 24, 2023, Clancy fatally strangled her three children in the basement of their Duxbury home using exercise resistance bands.
    — Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 26 July 2026
  • If a parent or parents have multiple children who fit the requirements, each can have their own account.
    — Erik Sherman, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
Definition of child

Phrases Containing juvenile

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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 30 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of juvenile for Spanish Speakers

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