precocious

adjective

pri-ˈkō-shəs How to pronounce precocious (audio)
Definition of precociousnext
as in early
occurring before the usual or expected time a precocious baldness makes him look older than he really is

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 precocious That precocious talent combines with her naturally confident disposition to create one fiery competitor. — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 5 July 2026 That’s why my millennial children listen to that sixty-year-old music now, whereas, in 1964, only a precocious Mahler buff would have listened to the music of 1904. — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 21 June 2026 Lewis, 26, has been tailing off since a precocious start to his major league career, and some (perhaps fairly) wonder if a pair of major knee injuries have robbed him of what should have been, as the kids say, his final form. — John Shipley, Twin Cities, 29 May 2026 Death and the devil dominate the writing, and Nyro would later attribute this darkness to a fascination from her precocious young adulthood. — Sam Sodomsky, Pitchfork, 24 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for precocious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for precocious
  1. early
  2. premature
  3. unexpected
  4. sudden
  5. untimely
Adjective
  • In a statement, historic preservation group Historic KC said the building once served as the headquarters of the Western Newspaper Union, whose services supplied thousands of weekly newspapers through the country in the early 1900s.
    — Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 18 July 2026
  • The final plan, announced Thursday, includes early voting sites at Cabarrus Arena & Events Center, Afton Ridge Library, Rowan-Cabarrus Community College’s Kannapolis campus, and Cabarrus County EMS Headquarters.
    — Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 18 July 2026
Definition of early
Adjective
  • Now, researchers have found a molecule that may be able to predict when women are at risk for premature delivery—and, potentially, help prolong their pregnancy to a healthier length.
    — Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 20 July 2026
  • The findings suggest supporting varied interests is more beneficial than pushing premature specialization.
    — Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
Definition of premature
Adjective
  • Some unexpected foods provide us with abundant amounts of leucine without having to resort to supplements.
    — Alessandra Signorelli, Vogue, 23 July 2026
  • And yet, when fate brings us together with someone in a completely unexpected way, our defenses collapse.
    — Ed Meza, Variety, 23 July 2026
Definition of unexpected
Adjective
  • The film centers on Prabha, a troubled young man whose sudden and unexplained death triggers a ripple effect across his extended family and community.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 17 July 2026
  • Cyclosporiasis symptoms include sudden, watery and occasionally explosive diarrhea—these symptoms usually appear between two days and two weeks after ingesting the parasite.
    — Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 17 July 2026
Definition of sudden
Adjective
  • Since the mysterious deaths of a husband and wife in the Medici family, a powerful Italian dynasty that ruled Florence and Tuscany almost uninterruptedly from 1434 to 1737, rumors have swirled about what led to the couple’s untimely demise.
    — Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 15 July 2026
  • Plans for low volume road-car production were curtailed by Bruce’s untimely death while testing at Goodwood in 1970, and the original has been something of a dusty footnote until now.
    — Jason Barlow, Robb Report, 13 July 2026
Definition of untimely

Browse Nearby Words

precocial
precocious
precociously
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Cite this Entry

“Precocious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/precocious. Accessed 24 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of precocious for Spanish Speakers

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