grow up

verb

grew up; grown up; growing up; grows up

intransitive verb

1
a
: to grow toward or arrive at full stature or physical or mental maturity : to progress from childhood toward adulthood
growing up intellectually
grew up in the city
also : to become an adult
She wants to be a doctor when she grows up.
b
: to stop thinking or behaving in a childish way
He should grow up and accept his responsibilities.
2
: to begin to exist and develop as time passes
A number of cities grew up along the river.

Examples of grow up in a Sentence

everyone has to grow up at some point in their lives
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.
Like Belly, Kitty learns to navigate young love, complex relationships and the challenges of growing up. Jordana Comiter, People.com, 6 Apr. 2025 This division is self-perpetuating: young boys grow up with little to no role models for household management. Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 6 Apr. 2025 Bullard grew up listening to metal but was drawn to country in his late teens. Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 6 Apr. 2025 Jokić grew up about two hours outside of Belgrade and was 17 when Ražnatović read a box score in the newspaper that said Jokić had 29 points and 26 rebounds in a game for a small club in a low-level Serbian league. Joe Vardon, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for grow up

Word History

First Known Use

1535, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of grow up was in 1535

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Grow up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grow%20up. Accessed 10 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

grow up

verb
: to grow toward or reach full mental and physical growth

More from Merriam-Webster on grow up

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