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
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Recent Examples of adult
David Phelan, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
My dream of becoming a woman was exchanged for a different fantasy, a kind of eternal world of teen-agers, who had nothing but contempt for adults.
—Rachel Kushner, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2025
oregonlive, 24 Jan. 2023
There wasn’t much room for making mistakes in this version of adulting—which is, of course, the only way to become truly adult.
—Claire Cohen, Vogue, 15 Jan. 2023
See All Example Sentences for adult
Noun
It’s meant for adults over 22 and is not for use during pregnancy.
—David Phelan, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
My dream of becoming a woman was exchanged for a different fantasy, a kind of eternal world of teen-agers, who had nothing but contempt for adults.
—Rachel Kushner, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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
There wasn’t much room for making mistakes in this version of adulting—which is, of course, the only way to become truly adult.
—Claire Cohen, Vogue, 15 Jan. 2023
See All Example Sentences for adult
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adult
Noun
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Reportedly shot for less than $100,000, this tale of Pooh and Piglet all grown-up and running amok recently opened to box office success in Mexico and is currently playing on cinema screens around America.—
Clark Collis,
EW.com,
16 Feb. 2023
Adjective
-
Down below, the meandering grounds are laced with mature trees and layered gardens that provide a feeling of expansiveness despite being in the heart of a huge city.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Why Industry Standards Matter As Wi-Fi 7, private 5G open roaming and edge-native orchestration mature, enterprises need partners that shape—not just follow—industry standards.—
Lori Thomas,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
In late May, a parishioner at Our Lady of the Visitation in Green Township complained to the archdiocese about pornographic websites showing up on a church computer.—
Dan Horn,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Concerns have already been raised over the dangers of nudification apps that can be used to create pornographic images of people without their consent.—
Bernard Marr,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Sandmann, then a Covington Catholic student, was at the center of a media firestorm after a video showed him face-to-face with a Native American elder.—
Jolene Almendarez,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
12 Sep. 2025
-
The new generation will always make choices their elders don’t quite understand.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Mea Culpa is Perry at his most knowingly silly, and a throwback to erotic thrillers of decades past.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
14 Sep. 2025
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The back of the knee is a surprisingly erotic spot, sensitive to light touch and teasing.—
Essence,
Essence,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Skorup suggested that the public interest standard was ripe for a challenge, given the current court’s skepticism of broad regulatory power.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
19 Sep. 2025
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By the mid-Aughts, the deindustrializing superpower, committed to forever wars abroad and extreme inequality at home, was ripe for Trumpism.—
Pankaj Mishra,
Harpers Magazine,
19 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Adult.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adult. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.
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