1
as in childish
having or showing the annoying qualities (as silliness) associated with children
told the teenagers that such puerile behavior would not be tolerated during the ceremony
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in immature
lacking in adult experience or maturity
allowed the company to be taken over by a bunch of puerile whippersnappers fresh out of business school
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in goofy
lacking in seriousness or maturity
the kind of puerile jokes that teenage moviegoers apparently love
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of puerile
The book, which has a decidedly feminist bent, becomes a surprise best-seller, and soon Penelope finds herself in Hollywood, surrounded by blowhard executives and puerile male screenwriters who want to adapt her work into a blockbuster.
—
The New Yorker, New Yorker, 7 Jan. 2026
The Twits are so gross and puerile and nasty in the book.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 17 Oct. 2025
Worse, though, than such puerile behavior is what Dhillon embodies: an us-vs.-them attitude that permeates the administration and treats those who didn’t vote for Trump — which is more than half the country — as a target.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Mercury News, 10 Oct. 2025
The film is not opposed to the occasional piece of puerile humor, like introducing the Dallas skyline exclusively with the decidedly phallic Reunion Tower.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for puerile
The New Yorker, New Yorker, 7 Jan. 2026
The Twits are so gross and puerile and nasty in the book.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 17 Oct. 2025
Worse, though, than such puerile behavior is what Dhillon embodies: an us-vs.-them attitude that permeates the administration and treats those who didn’t vote for Trump — which is more than half the country — as a target.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Mercury News, 10 Oct. 2025
The film is not opposed to the occasional piece of puerile humor, like introducing the Dallas skyline exclusively with the decidedly phallic Reunion Tower.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for puerile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for puerile
Adjective
-
Gombrowicz never really ‘assimilated’ to life in Argentina, partly due to the unique and unprecedented circumstances that brought him there in the first place, but also because of his naturally irreverent and at times even childish attitude towards literary establishment.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 May 2026
-
The literature on adolescence marks middle school as a turning point, a time when kids begin to pull away from their parents, discard childish pursuits, and pursue, full thrust, the exhausting project of individuation.—
Anna Wiener,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
Adjective
-
There’s so much regulation coming our way aimed at removing any sort of greenwashing, but even if that is successful, the customer is still immature.—
Elektra Kotsoni,
Vogue,
8 May 2026
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On top of that, the immature grubs chew through grass roots and create dead patches in your lawn.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
But the goofier parts of Over Your Dead Body offer some hope for the future.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
27 Apr. 2026
-
There’s a steadiness to Tung/Wonder Woman that stands out for its quiet authority in a frequently goofy landscape peppered with poisonous robes and finger-eating minions.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
What supports adolescent contribution?—
Jen Agans,
The Conversation,
8 May 2026
-
For any adolescent, a private bedroom is both sanctuary and mood board.—
Anna Wiener,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
Adjective
-
Another risk is infection from non-sterile equipment, which might happen if the procedure is done by inexperienced technicians or in non-medical settings, Hazan says.—
Erica Sweeney,
Time,
11 May 2026
-
The other strong selling point is that the inexperienced videographer doesn't have to fiddle with a load of settings before recording.—
David Szondy
May 09,
New Atlas,
9 May 2026
Adjective
-
The fantasy comedy twisted the types of fairy tales that Disney was known for with cruder and sillier humor and centered a grumpy ogre journeying to save a princess.—
Savannah Salazar,
Vulture,
15 May 2026
-
So, yes, this movie about the silly baby Yoda creature has a lot riding on it.—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
In general, juvenile crimes are more often committed with others, and images of roaming throngs of teens has an outsized presence in media and in the public’s amygdala.—
Eric Levenson,
CNN Money,
9 May 2026
-
When officers arrived at the scene, a juvenile boy was being loaded into an ambulance.—
Chelsea Hylton,
CBS News,
8 May 2026
Adjective
-
The Modernist is friendly, drawing a mostly millennial mix of young families, gay couples, and girls trips.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
14 May 2026
-
In all, through injuries and midweek rest for veterans, Varas started five players who are 20 or younger.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Puerile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/puerile. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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