adult 1 of 2

noun

Definition of adultnext
as in grown-up
a fully grown person at the beach, the adults sat under broad umbrellas while the children splashed in the water

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

adult

2 of 2

adjective

ə-ˈdəlt How to pronounce adult (audio)
1
as in mature
relating to or typical of adults; displaying proper maturity an adult reaction to the issue

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pornographic
dealing in or with explicitly sexual material an adult magazine

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in matured
fully grown or developed insects that are butterflies in their adult stage

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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 adult
Noun
Another study of about 60,000 adults published in the journal Sleep in 2024 looked at the impact of sleep on mortality. — The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 July 2026 Most adults 65 and older are covered by Medicare, while low-income families often qualify for Medicaid coverage. — Ken Alltucker, USA Today, 8 July 2026
Adjective
It is estimated that, based on measures of blood glucose, lipids, and other parameters, less than 12% of the adult American population can even be said to metabolically healthy. — Christopher Duggan, STAT, 27 Mar. 2026 Corrigan has also appeared in independent non-adult films such as Chillerama and appeared in Gus Van Sant’s Harvey Milk biopic Milk. — Mathew Rodriguez, Them., 29 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for adult
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adult
  1. grown-up
  2. mature
  3. pornographic
  4. matured
  5. elder
  6. erotic
  7. ripe
Noun
  • Reportedly shot for less than $100,000, this tale of Pooh and Piglet all grown-up and running amok recently opened to box office success in Mexico and is currently playing on cinema screens around America.
    — Clark Collis, EW.com, 16 Feb. 2023
Definition of grown-up
Adjective
  • That mature approach was built during Conwell’s four-year college career.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 4 July 2026
  • Their relationship feels more mature, a bit deeper, and real.
    — Angelique Brenes, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026
Definition of mature
Adjective
  • Gibson asked for pornographic images of the minor, and sent photos of himself, according to court documents.
    — Kendrick Calfee June 13, Kansas City Star, 13 June 2026
  • While Washington drags its feet, kids across the nation are being exposed to vile, pornographic images and ads with no meaningful safeguards to prevent it.
    — Rachel del Guidice, FOXNews.com, 10 June 2026
Definition of pornographic
Adjective
  • Think of this as the matured version of the Kool-Aid dip-dye technique.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 7 Nov. 2025
Definition of matured
Noun
  • While choosing the layout, the tribe hosted listening sessions with community members and elders.
    — Sarah Liese, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
  • More important for the purposes of the Social Media Minimum Age’s failure is that Aussie youth undeniably know technology better than do their elders in Parliament.
    — John Tamny, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of elder
Adjective
  • In the late 1970s, Brass entered a new phase and gained fresh notoriety with cult historical-erotic films Salon Kitty (1976) and Caligula (1979) as well as The Key (1983), a free adaptation of a novel by Tanizaki Jun’ichirō.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 29 June 2026
  • But no one who delves into Duchamp can shake the feeling that erotic fixations and frustrated romantic love are at the core of his imaginative universe.
    — Sebastian Smee, The Atlantic, 29 June 2026
Definition of erotic
Adjective
  • Water brings notes of red grape skins, ripe peach, vanilla, allspice and wood smoke.
    — Chris Perugini, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
  • Sweet, juicy, ripe fruits make July and August a bit easier to bear.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 6 July 2026
Definition of ripe

Browse Nearby Words

adulatory
adult
adulterant
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Cite this Entry

“Adult.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adult. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of adult for Spanish Speakers

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