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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples 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 puerile
Trump is, always and forever, a puerile bully, stuck perpetually on the fifth-grade playground.
—
Susan B. Glasser, The New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2024
The inexplicable twists are interspersed with puerile action scenes.
—Kyle Chayka, The New Yorker, 13 Feb. 2024
Hoping to usurp him from the throne, Kuzco's advisor, Yzma (Eartha Kitt), cooks up a plot to poison the puerile figurehead.
—Devin Nealy, EW.com, 16 Oct. 2023
As legal weed proliferates across the country, many storefronts have adopted a sterile, corporate aesthetic, while others lean into puerile graphics of, say, red-eyed Rick and Morty smoking blunts.
—Ezra Marcus, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2024
See all Example Sentences for puerile 
Susan B. Glasser, The New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2024
The inexplicable twists are interspersed with puerile action scenes.
—Kyle Chayka, The New Yorker, 13 Feb. 2024
Hoping to usurp him from the throne, Kuzco's advisor, Yzma (Eartha Kitt), cooks up a plot to poison the puerile figurehead.
—Devin Nealy, EW.com, 16 Oct. 2023
As legal weed proliferates across the country, many storefronts have adopted a sterile, corporate aesthetic, while others lean into puerile graphics of, say, red-eyed Rick and Morty smoking blunts.
—Ezra Marcus, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2024
See all Example Sentences for puerile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for puerile
Adjective
-
But the fanbases of those games are not buying it, and have undergone a campaign to embarrass Musk as much as possible about his claims, dragging him into childish internet fights.Paul Tassi, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025
-
Editor’s picks Bad Bunny can’t help but revel in the childish joy of being back home, and the euphoric title track sums this feeling up.Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 6 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
People with leukemia often have a high number of immature white blood cells called myeloblast, which are not usually present in the blood.Doru Paul, Health, 10 Jan. 2025
-
These immature cells can develop into different types of blood cells, including white blood cells (WBCs), central to immune function.8 Getting sufficient and consistent sleep can help make your body more resistant to disease and infection.Mark Gurarie, Verywell Health, 9 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Ultimately, while The Substance got off to an intriguing start, the majority of the film and especially its goofy ending was mostly cheap shock value and amateurish satire built on the flimsiest premise imaginable.Erik Kain, Forbes, 18 Jan. 2025
-
For three seasons in Laramie, Wyo., Allen heaved 75-yard bombs in practice, lived off Applebee’s and charmed teammates with his leadership style, a goofy sincerity and plenty of drinking games.Rustin Dodd, The Athletic, 16 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
During the early years of the coronavirus pandemic, an expansion of the federal child tax credit led to dramatic reductions in adolescent poverty.Benjamin Oreskes, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2025
-
Center specialized in child and adolescent psychiatry after graduating from medical school.Duaa Eldeib, ProPublica, 30 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
The Couple Next Door The Bottom Line PG-13 partner-swapping upstaged by silly thriller subplots.Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Jan. 2025
-
In the unreliable reality the older Owen inhabits, his favorite childhood show was in fact silly, sloppy, and decidedly low-stakes.Samantha Allen, Them, 14 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
The 17-year-old suspect, who has not yet been identified, was taken into custody on Monday and transported to a juvenile facility in Bridgeport.Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 15 Jan. 2025
-
The teen was taken Monday to the juvenile detention facility in Bridgeport.Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 14 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Verse is one of the top players for a young Rams defensive front that is excelling in the post-Aaron Donald era.Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2025
-
One young woman at the theater, who lives in Santa Monica, was evacuated and went to a friend’s house in the West Hollywood area before deciding to head over to see The Brutalist.Pamela McClintock, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
In my experience, even attempting to get a price estimate beforehand is often futile.Michael Gfoeller And David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 15 Jan. 2025
-
Unnecessary pesticides are costly and often futile, and hey may kill beneficial insects and plants.Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 5 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near puerile
Cite this Entry
“Puerile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/puerile. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share