as in grown-up
a fully grown person
at the beach, the adults sat under broad umbrellas while the children splashed in the water
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of adult
Katy Golvala, Hartford Courant, 4 Aug. 2025
He was tried as an adult for the July 2013 robbery in Jackson, Tenn.
—Arkansas Online, 3 Aug. 2025
Tara Duggan, San Francisco Chronicle, 6 Mar. 2023
The first whale found this month, a sub-adult male gray whale, was recovered Jan. 11 in Winchester Bay and was slain by killer whales, according to Milstein.
—oregonlive, 24 Jan. 2023
See All Example Sentences for adult
Noun
Despite the unprecedented drop in deaths in both the state and country over the past couple of years, overdose remains the leading cause of death for American adults under 45.
—Katy Golvala, Hartford Courant, 4 Aug. 2025
He was tried as an adult for the July 2013 robbery in Jackson, Tenn.
—Arkansas Online, 3 Aug. 2025
Adjective
There has not been a sighting of a calf since 2005, though juvenile and sub-adult whales have been seen more recently, Crance said.
—Tara Duggan, San Francisco Chronicle, 6 Mar. 2023
The first whale found this month, a sub-adult male gray whale, was recovered Jan. 11 in Winchester Bay and was slain by killer whales, according to Milstein.
—oregonlive, 24 Jan. 2023
See All Example Sentences for adult
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adult
Adjective
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Given the rapid development of AI technology and its widespread use amongst high school students, admissions officers at top colleges are seeking applicants who engage with it in a thoughtful, critical, and mature manner.—
Christopher Rim,
Forbes.com,
30 July 2025
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But determining the best retinol for mature skin can be more of a challenge.—
Deanna Pai,
Vogue,
30 July 2025
Noun
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Johnny and Ben are usually depicted as bickering surrogate brothers, the hotheaded youngster and the curmudgeonly elder; Susan is a pragmatic force, with Reed often lost in his own world.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
25 July 2025
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But such victories will likely reassure party elders resistant to change, thereby leaving in place the same party that fought and lost the 2024 election, complete with its attachment to Israel and military spending.—
Andrew Cockburn,
Harpers Magazine,
16 July 2025
Adjective
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Spartacus: House of Ashur is a thrilling, erotic, history-bending, roller-coaster experience that builds on everything that made the original series a colossal hit.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
26 July 2025
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But this experience need not be limited to Catholicism’s terms of repentance, for the church offers only one kind of erotic container.—
Terry Nguyen
July 23,
Literary Hub,
23 July 2025
Adjective
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Cox sold the Statesman but retained ownership of its 18.9-acre site, a property many developers had long coveted and said was ripe for new development.—
Shonda Novak,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
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The tomato was ripe, the onion slices added bite and the tuft of alfalfa sprouts was fresh and earthy.—
Rachel Bernhard,
jsonline.com,
29 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Adult.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adult. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.
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