underage

adjective

un·​der·​age ˌən-dər-ˈāj How to pronounce underage (audio)
1
: of less than mature or legal age
2
: done by or involving underage persons
underage drinking

Examples of underage in a Sentence

They were not allowed into the club because they were underage.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Adle, now 20, was originally charged as an adult on a count of first-degree murder, despite being underage at the time of the killing. Lauren De Young, The Arizona Republic, 6 Dec. 2024 The Contestant Explores True Story of Man Who Starred in Reality Show Without Knowing It: See Trailer (Exclusive) After a 2003 raid, authorities found at least footage of at least 30 more girls who were underage when they were filmed for Girls Gone Wild. Abigail Adams, People.com, 3 Dec. 2024 Two members of Beta Alpha Omega, who are not underage, were each charged with a misdemeanor for supplying alcohol to attendees under 21, the release said. Kate Selig, New York Times, 24 Nov. 2024 Gaetz, who resigned from Congress after receiving Trump’s nomination to head the Justice Department, was accused of sleeping with an underage girl, and Congress is battling over releasing a related House Ethics Committee report to the public. Brad Dress, The Hill, 21 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for underage 

Word History

First Known Use

1561, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of underage was in 1561

Dictionary Entries Near underage

Cite this Entry

“Underage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/underage. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

underage

adjective
un·​der·​age ˌən-də-ˈrāj How to pronounce underage (audio)
: of less than mature or legal age

More from Merriam-Webster on underage

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!