ad·o·les·cent
ˌa-də-ˈle-sᵊnt 
: a young person who is developing into an adult : one who is in the state of adolescence
1
: of, relating to, or being in adolescence
adolescent growth
adolescent boys and girls
2
: emotionally or intellectually immature
did not appreciate her husband's adolescent high jinks
adolescently
adverb
Examples of adolescent in a Sentence
Noun
Their children are now adolescents.
Adjective
an adolescent sheepdog, who hasn't quite gotten the hang of keeping the sheep huddled together
would hope that the college students had outgrown such adolescent behavior
Recent Examples on the Web
Chase Jordan, Charlotte Observer, 5 Apr. 2025
From 2017 to 2020, the prevalence of obesity among U.S. children and adolescents was 19.7%, with 14.7 million children aged 2–19 years having obesity, according to the CDC.
—Ashley J. Dimella Fox News, FOXNews.com, 4 Apr. 2025
Emily Mullin, Wired News, 7 Apr. 2025
After reaming her besties out for having not changed at all since their teen years, Laurie reverts back to her adolescent self.
—Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for adolescent
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Noun
Nearly 1 in 4 children and adolescents experience these disorders, Fletcher added.
—Chase Jordan, Charlotte Observer, 5 Apr. 2025
From 2017 to 2020, the prevalence of obesity among U.S. children and adolescents was 19.7%, with 14.7 million children aged 2–19 years having obesity, according to the CDC.
—Ashley J. Dimella Fox News, FOXNews.com, 4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
Hope, an adolescent red wolf from one of the cloned litters produced by Colossal.
—Emily Mullin, Wired News, 7 Apr. 2025
After reaming her besties out for having not changed at all since their teen years, Laurie reverts back to her adolescent self.
—Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for adolescent
Cite this Entry
“Adolescent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adolescent. Accessed 12 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
adolescent
1 of 2 noun
ad·o·les·cent
-ᵊnt
: one that is in the state of adolescence
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