youth

noun

ˈyüth How to pronounce youth (audio)
plural youths ˈyüt͟hz How to pronounce youth (audio) ˈyüths How to pronounce youth (audio)
Synonyms of youthnext
often attributive
1
a
: the time of life when one is young
especially : the period between childhood and maturity
b
: the early period of existence, growth, or development
2
a
: a young person
especially : a young male between adolescence and maturity
b
: young persons or creatures
—usually plural in construction
3
: the quality or state of being youthful : youthfulness

Synonyms of youth

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Examples of youth in a Sentence

She had a troubled youth. He spent his youth in the Midwest. He got into a lot of trouble in his youth. a generation trying to recapture lost youth when the industry was still in its youth Four youths are suspected of starting the fire.
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.
Competing for the Locarno Kids Award la Mobiliare, the films will be judged by a youth jury with members aged 11 to 15. — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 2 July 2026 But those programs are targeted to youths growing up in poverty or foster care, plus children who lost a parent to COVID-19. — Moriah Balingit, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026 Vincent said Reese’s vision of affordable, accessible and inclusive youth football helped convince the NFL that flag could reach families nationwide. — Tim Graham, New York Times, 2 July 2026 Guerra is a Valencia youth academy product that has made 118 Spanish top flight appearances for the club of his life, while also being capped once by the senior national team in 2026. — Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for youth

Word History

Etymology

Middle English youthe, from Old English geoguth; akin to Old English geong young — more at young

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of youth was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing youth

Rhymes for youth

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Browse Nearby Words

you take it from here
youth
youth-and-old-age
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Youth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/youth. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

youth

noun
ˈyüth How to pronounce youth (audio)
plural youths ˈyüt͟hz How to pronounce youth (audio) ˈyüths How to pronounce youth (audio)
1
: the time of life when one is young
especially : the period between childhood and adulthood
2
a
: a young man
b
: young people
the youth of today
—usually used with a plural verb
3
: the quality or state of being young

More from Merriam-Webster on youth

Nglish: Translation of youth for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about youth

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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