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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of puerile
Even if TikTok really is shut down in the United States by the end of the month, capping at least one spigot of puerile content, the damage will have been done.
—
Helen Holmes, New York Times, 22 Jan. 2025
Lamar and his family, in this reading, are Edenic figures, inaugurating a new sort of American iconography, descended from Wood and Parks but breaking from them as well, born from the aftermath of a great—if also sometimes regrettably puerile—battle.
—Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 11 July 2024
Trump’s supporters turn the tables on his puerile critics.
—Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2024
The whole matter is puerile, and Sheriff Gahler should accept he’s met his match in Cassilly.
—Aegis Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 29 Mar. 2024
See All Example Sentences for puerile
Helen Holmes, New York Times, 22 Jan. 2025
Lamar and his family, in this reading, are Edenic figures, inaugurating a new sort of American iconography, descended from Wood and Parks but breaking from them as well, born from the aftermath of a great—if also sometimes regrettably puerile—battle.
—Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 11 July 2024
Trump’s supporters turn the tables on his puerile critics.
—Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2024
The whole matter is puerile, and Sheriff Gahler should accept he’s met his match in Cassilly.
—Aegis Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 29 Mar. 2024
See All Example Sentences for puerile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for puerile
Adjective
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Marta’s brothers sobbed with the desperation of years, with childish anguish.—
Mariana Enriquez
October 2,
Literary Hub,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer referred to an earlier video, also featuring Jeffries in a sombrero, as childish and evidence that the White House and the GOP were unserious about the shutdown.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Commenting on Taiwan’s possible nuclear options, Jusen Asuka, a professor at Tohoku University and chair of the session in the conference, cautioned that SMRs remain immature and costly, and investing heavily in them could slow renewable energy development.—
Yu-Tzu Chiu,
IEEE Spectrum,
2 Oct. 2025
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In some cases, these are labelled as muscular injuries but Monasterio warns players at these ages are still skeletally immature in these regions.—
Sarah Shephard,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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And Kailey Agpaoa is goofy and funny as Doctor Sister, a self-sacrificing but fierce young woman who has given up her dreams to care of her aging parents while her older sister has a husband and medical career.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Sep. 2025
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And so, the film’s spartan spell is undone by snatches of pedestrian drama and goofy, surreal symbolism.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
28 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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According to Andrea Lunn, an integrative child and adolescent psychotherapeutic counsellor, Haines's experience reflects how attachment works in practice.—
Daniella Gray,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
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But ever since Wembanyama was an adolescent, he has been locked in a battle against history and time.—
Jared Weiss,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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By the way, Valera wasn’t the only inexperienced Guardian to make a pivotal play.—
Levi Weaver,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
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Fleck said that type of at-the-line adjustment is atypical for such an inexperienced player; Lindsey was making only his fourth collegiate start.—
Andy Greder,
Twin Cities,
29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Count Dracula remains a fixture in the horror genre, having been featured in movies that range from scary and sexy to silly and satirical.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Oct. 2025
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Anderson’s synthesis of all of these themes, motifs, and silly gags into One Battle After Another, which saw Anderson’s biggest movie opening ever last month, shows how Pynchon’s ideas have not only aged well but are more visible and relevant.—
Kevin Dolak,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Officials believe the animal responsible is a juvenile male bear that may have recently been separated from its mother.—
Shafiq Najib,
ABC News,
5 Oct. 2025
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Health inspectors closed the Southeast Asian restaurant after spotting several live adult and juvenile German cockroaches in areas including under sinks.—
Sarah Linn,
Sacbee.com,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Pathways for young English players are increasingly threatened, even in the post-Brexit era, where recruitment of academy footballers from abroad is restricted.—
Liam Tharme,
New York Times,
5 Oct. 2025
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Jones first rose to prominence during his time as a standout at Syracuse University alongside his younger brother, fellow former NFL star Chandler Jones, from 2006 to 2009, before going on to get drafted in the fifth round of the 2010 NFL Draft.—
Reice Shipley,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Puerile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/puerile. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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