as in boy
a male person who has not yet reached adulthood
the young boxer looked like a mere stripling next to his larger, more seasoned opponent
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 stripling
Mickey Mouse will celebrate his 100th birthday in 2028; now in its 46th year, ESPN is a mere stripling compared to the chipper murine in the funny red pants.
—
Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 18 Mar. 2026
More important still, thrilling these ultra-cultured striplings means winning over mom and dad, too.
—Devorah Lev-Tov, Robb Report, 25 June 2023
In Dunst’s hands, Antoinette is naturally happy, an excitable stripling full of life — the sort of protagonist you’d root for simply because the performer inhabiting her is so agreeable.
—Matthew Jacobs, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2021
Best-selling author Margaret George has just published a novel repackaging the Roman emperor Nero, whose name has evoked mayhem and recreational pyromania for the past 2,000 years, as a misunderstood stripling.
—Joe Queenan, WSJ, 5 May 2017
Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 18 Mar. 2026
More important still, thrilling these ultra-cultured striplings means winning over mom and dad, too.
—Devorah Lev-Tov, Robb Report, 25 June 2023
In Dunst’s hands, Antoinette is naturally happy, an excitable stripling full of life — the sort of protagonist you’d root for simply because the performer inhabiting her is so agreeable.
—Matthew Jacobs, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2021
Best-selling author Margaret George has just published a novel repackaging the Roman emperor Nero, whose name has evoked mayhem and recreational pyromania for the past 2,000 years, as a misunderstood stripling.
—Joe Queenan, WSJ, 5 May 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stripling
Noun
-
On the rooftop, Gavin has his boy Kenny’s back the whole time.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
10 June 2026
-
The War Eagles got off to a strong start in the fall with a state championship in volleyball and followed with a productive winter, earning state titles in girls basketball and boys and girls swimming.—
Chip Saye,
AJC.com,
9 June 2026
Noun
-
That real trust can be rare, from knowing other young lads (at Liverpool) and their experiences on loan.—
Andy Jones,
New York Times,
10 June 2026
-
And Colbert made the most of it, bringing on special cameos from pals like Tig Notaro, his original bandleader, and a certain lad from Liverpool.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
22 May 2026
Noun
-
For a lonely teenager in a rural town, a young person exploring their identity, a migrant child keeping culture and family within reach or a neurodivergent child who finds the school corridor or the playground.—
Belonging Forum,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
-
On June 12, the stylish teenager joined her family in attending her father David Beckham's Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony.—
Staff Author,
InStyle,
12 June 2026
Noun
-
In that year in the United States the number of lost kids had dropped to just over two per hundred.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
-
Children might get a teepee tent and toys, while older kids might have cards, board games, boogie boards, or a volleyball net.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
No, rest is for the lazy, the Caucasian adolescent, the indolent, the indulgent—until the age of thirty.—
Taiye Selasi,
New Yorker,
31 May 2026
-
Gadd gained almost 90 pounds to play adult Ruben (Stuart Campbell in flashbacks), the fractured older-brother figure of Niall (Jamie Bell as an adult; Mitchell Robertson as an adolescent), while their mothers date each other.—
Savannah Walsh,
Vanity Fair,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stripling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stripling. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
