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

Relevance

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
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 Martin was 10 years old, and Kandee was 13 and seemed so grown-up and glamourous. Amanda Lee Myers, USA TODAY, 31 Jan. 2025 The hotel feels grown-up and staff effusively handle all of your needs with a striking level of gracious humility. Lauren Mowery, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025 The new film sees the characters more mature, and the challenges Noah and Nick face steadily become more grown-up. Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 26 Dec. 2024 Lesson: Dirty towels, a mattress on the floor, holes in comforters and sheets that do double duty as curtains should not be part of a grown-up’s look. Marni Jameson, The Mercury News, 20 Dec. 2024
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
  • The combined entity would aim to secure American access to mature chips amid potential risks from China competition and tensions between China and Taiwan, Nikkei reported.
    Samantha Subin, CNBC, 31 Mar. 2025
  • The new look also resembles the monochrome branding of Apple TV+, another streamer that is largely associated with mature programming.
    J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 30 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • In 2019, Haymarket proposed a 240-bed substance-use disorder and behavioral health treatment center for adults at the site of a former Holiday Inn hotel in Itasca, a DuPage County suburb of roughly 9,000 residents.
    Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 6 Apr. 2025
  • In 1989, only about five out of every 1,000 adults over the age of 50 went through a divorce.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 6 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • At regional state universities it’s grown 7% over the same cycle.
    Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 4 Jan. 2025
  • Grapes are grown widely in Armenia, with the best coming from the Ararat Valley beneath Mount Ararat in Western Armenia.
    Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 4 Jan. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Grown-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grown-up. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on grown-up

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!