youth

noun

ˈyüth How to pronounce youth (audio)
plural youths ˈyüt͟hz How to pronounce youth (audio) ˈyüths How to pronounce youth (audio)
Synonyms of youthnext
often attributive
1
a
: the time of life when one is young
especially : the period between childhood and maturity
b
: the early period of existence, growth, or development
2
a
: a young person
especially : a young male between adolescence and maturity
b
: young persons or creatures
—usually plural in construction
3
: the quality or state of being youthful : youthfulness

Synonyms of youth

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Examples of youth in a Sentence

She had a troubled youth. He spent his youth in the Midwest. He got into a lot of trouble in his youth. a generation trying to recapture lost youth when the industry was still in its youth Four youths are suspected of starting the fire.
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.
The free festival blends nationally recognized performers, local artists, youth musicians, international food, art and community activities into a celebration of the people and traditions that have shaped American music. — Kansas City Star, 31 July 2026 Osman says there is a youth gun violence problem in the community that includes —but is not restricted to — the Somali community. — Esme Murphy, CBS News, 31 July 2026 George Pickens generates crowd excitement The crowd on-hand at the River Ridge Playing Fields in Oxnard wasn’t packed by any means in the middle of a weekday, but there were a good amount of youth groups and Cowboys fans on-hand. — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 July 2026 The Sunrise Mall redevelopment project saw a mark of progress this week, when a group planning to build a youth sports complex agreed to take on 13 acres of the mall property, the city of Citrus Heights said Wednesday. — Sacbee.com, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for youth

Word History

Etymology

Middle English youthe, from Old English geoguth; akin to Old English geong young — more at young

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of youth was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing youth

Rhymes for youth

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Browse Nearby Words

you take it from here
youth
youth-and-old-age
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Youth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/youth. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

youth

noun
ˈyüth How to pronounce youth (audio)
plural youths ˈyüt͟hz How to pronounce youth (audio) ˈyüths How to pronounce youth (audio)
1
: the time of life when one is young
especially : the period between childhood and adulthood
2
a
: a young man
b
: young people
the youth of today
—usually used with a plural verb
3
: the quality or state of being young

More from Merriam-Webster on youth

Nglish: Translation of youth for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about youth

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