INFANTILE Synonyms: 32 Similar and Opposite Words

infantile

adjective

ˈin-fən-ˌtī(-ə)l

Definition of infantile

as in childish

having or showing the annoying qualities (as silliness) associated with children the infantile humor that teenage boys are justly famous for

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 infantile Miami’s infantile offense can’t afford to carry this team. — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 12 June 2026 Among them was a treatment option for infantile hypophosphatasia, a rare form of rickets that makes children’s bones dangerously fragile. — Ashley MacKin Solomon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Feb. 2026 Then, there’s this rather infantile tendency for the MAGA crowd to call any content moderation an act of censorship, which is a ludicrous distortion of the truth. — Joel Khalili, Wired News, 11 Mar. 2026 The incredibly painful, totally infantile, Banana Republic government shutdown ends. — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 10 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for infantile

Recent Examples of Synonyms for infantile

Adjective

Their ideas about it were often steeped in stereotypes suggesting that Buddhists were irrational and childish in their thinking.

— Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 7 July 2026
While there is absolutely nothing childish about the property, there are crib and highchairs available, children’s menus at the hotel’s restaurant, and babysitting services that can be arranged through a third party.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 July 2026

Definition of childish

Adjective

Additionally, occasional rule-breaking and defiance are considered a normal part of child and adolescent development.

— Elizabeth Dowdell, The Conversation, 6 July 2026
Ultimately, this visible lump is a permanent record of a hormonal change, primarily designed to be heard, reflecting the body's adolescent effort to project a larger presence.

— Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026

Definition of adolescent

Adjective

The pipe burst released about 130 million gallons of water, trapped several workers, killed hundreds of juvenile Chinook salmon and damaged the New Colgate Powerhouse.

— Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 3 July 2026
One of the e-bike riders, a juvenile boy, was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries and died shortly thereafter, the release said.

— Rose Evans, Idaho Statesman, 3 July 2026

Definition of juvenile

Browse Nearby Words

infant

infantile

infantilized

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Infantile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/infantile. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of infantile

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on infantile

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

gambol

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes