adolescent

1 of 2

noun

ad·​o·​les·​cent ˌa-də-ˈle-sᵊnt 

: a young person who is developing into an adult : one who is in the state of adolescence

adolescent

2 of 2

adjective

1

: of, relating to, or being in adolescence

adolescent growth

adolescent boys and girls

2

: emotionally or intellectually immature

did not appreciate her husband's adolescent high jinks

adolescently adverb

Synonyms

Adjective

• immature
• juvenile
• young
• youngish
• youthful

Examples of adolescent in a Sentence

Noun

Their children are now adolescents.

Adjective

an adolescent sheepdog, who hasn't quite gotten the hang of keeping the sheep huddled together

would hope that the college students had outgrown such adolescent behavior

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Thirty-six percent of adolescents were overweight in 2022, according to data from the California Health Interview Survey at UCLA. —Teri Sforza, Orange County Register, 12 Feb. 2025

The study did not look at surgeries among transgender adolescents. —David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Feb. 2025

Adjective

Jeanne is 15, a restless adolescent among a tribe of younger children in an orphanage in the mountains where she is first seen wandering at dusk, her way lit by the snow’s reflective glitter. —Stephanie Bunbury, Deadline, 16 Feb. 2025

Sleep regressions, toddler tantrums, adolescent mood swings — yes, parenting has its challenges. —Malaka Gharib, NPR, 14 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French, borrowed from Latin adolēscent-, adolēscens "young man or woman, youth," noun derivative of adolēscens adolescent entry 2

Adjective

borrowed from French & Latin; French, going back to Middle French, borrowed from Latin adolēscent-, adolēscens, adulēscens "young, youthful," present participle of adolēscere, adulēscere "to become mature, grow up" — more at adult entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing adolescent

• sub-adolescent

Medical Definition

adolescent

1 of 2 noun

ad·​o·​les·​cent -ᵊnt 

: one that is in the state of adolescence

adolescent

2 of 2 adjective

: of, relating to, or being in adolescence

adolescently adverb