grown-up 1 of 3

adjective

ˈgrōn-ˌəp How to pronounce grown-up (audio)
Definition of grown-upnext
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

grown-up

2 of 3

noun

as in adult
a fully grown person once you turn 12, you get to eat with the grown-ups at Thanksgiving

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

grown up

3 of 3

verb

past participle of grow up
as in grown
to become mature everyone has to grow up at some point in their lives

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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
Working with sister stylist duo Chloe and Chenelle Delgadillo, Rodrigo has reconstructed her signature looks to feel softer and more grown-up, with outfits drawing from fashion references just as diverse as her musical taste. — Chelsey Sanchez, CNN Money, 25 June 2026 There was something so exciting about holding those glowing wands and feeling just a little grown-up while doing it. — Abby Price, Southern Living, 17 June 2026
Noun
While families are very welcome, the overall atmosphere leans more towards a calm and grown-up feel. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Oct. 2026 Chestnut red is an ingenue all grown-up—matured past apricots and strawberry blonde into something more capable and authoritative. — Loren Savini, Allure, 14 Oct. 2026
Verb
Gasper’s father, also named Mickey, had grown up rooting for the Yankees in New Jersey, so Gasper liked them, too. — Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026 Not many people were left by then but Stanley Hurst was, raising four children on the same land where he’d been born and grown up. — Andrew Carter, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for grown-up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grown-up
  1. mature
  2. adult
  3. grown
Adjective
  • Quinn says that using a sponge can be particularly flattering on mature skin, though the foundation formula and skin preparation are just as important.
    — Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The cone’s spikelike axis remains on the branch after the mature cone falls apart.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of mature
Noun
  • The reforms focus on eligibility and work requirements for able-bodied adults, which can also be satisfied by attending school, participating in job training, or volunteering.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026
  • White militias destroyed their homes, torched their food supplies, and slaughtered them outright so routinely that a secondary economy of kidnappers sprang up to sell the survivors, children and adults alike, into servitude.
    — Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of adult
Verb
  • But in the eight years since that location opened its doors, the brand has grown, and the mall has evolved from small art galleries into a vintage mecca.
    — Max Berlinger, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The property collaborated with Nobu and the food is clean and delicious—unsurprisingly, lots of raw fish and produce like spicy microgreens and August-sweet tomatoes grown at Sensei’s hydroponic farm down the road.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of grown

Browse Nearby Words

grown (in)
grown-up
grown up
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Cite this Entry

“Grown-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grown-up. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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