grown-up 1 of 3

as in mature
relating to or typical of adults; displaying proper maturity they have yet to find a grown-up way of handling their marital problems

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

grown-up

2 of 3

noun

grown up

3 of 3

verb

past participle of grow up

Example 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 grown-up
Adjective
Think freshwater pearl accents, delicate gold box chains, and grown-up takes on the vibrant beads that once ruled summer camp. Lauren Alexis Fisher, Footwear News, 30 May 2025 As for your son himself, surely he is grown-up and intelligent enough to have sympathy for the family’s financial constraints, rather than resentment. Judith Martin, Mercury News, 20 May 2025 Hence, grown-up Chris is a nomadic misfit with two talents: sharpshooting and solving quadratic equations. Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2025 For anyone feeling lost, old, or generally confused as to what the hell’s going on, here’s a grown-up’s guide to all the references and moments in A Minecraft Movie that are driving fans wild. Issy Van Der Velde, Rolling Stone, 9 Apr. 2025 In its first season, Andor was cinematic, grown-up, grounded, and urgent, running bold choices or ideas, like deftly examining how oppressive administrations exert their political power. Photo: Courtesy Of Netflix., Refinery29, 1 Apr. 2025 Entertainment gossip and news from Newsweek's network of contributors Jamie Lynn Spears' daughter Maddie is all grown-up — and headed to prom (again)! Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2025 Speaking of mothers: Mary Brown (Mortimer) has been pining for the good old days when her now-teenaged children, Judy (Madeleine Harris ) and Jonathan (Samuel Joslin), weren’t so grown-up. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 11 Feb. 2025 The trending assortment of fruity scents are way more complex and grown-up, with far higher concentrations of perfume oil — and therefore longevity. Venus Wong, refinery29.com, 31 Jan. 2025
Noun
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grown-up
Adjective
  • Once the potato plant tops start dying back, dig and lift the entire plant with a garden fork to harvest the mature potatoes.
    Sheryl Geerts, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 June 2025
  • Indeed, devoted fans of the Murphy movies — especially the more, ahem, mature viewers — likely will be willing to overlook some of the messy violence and salty language to relish this trip in the wayback machine.
    Joe Leydon, Variety, 13 June 2025
Noun
  • Child passports are only valid for five years, compared to a 10-year validity span for adult passports.
    Michael Cappetta, Travel + Leisure, 5 June 2025
  • Felton will play the adult version of Draco at the Lyric Theatre in New York City, beginning Nov. 11 for a 19-week run through March 22, 2026.
    Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
Verb
  • The Jordan Brand has grown beyond just a basketball shoe.
    Jason Jones, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2025
  • But most impressive of all for Chenoweth is seeing how the brand has grown.
    Ariana Yaptangco, Glamour, 9 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Grown-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grown-up. Accessed 20 Jun. 2025.

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