as in grown-up
a fully grown person
at the beach, the adults sat under broad umbrellas while the children splashed in the water
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
2
as in pornographic
dealing in or with explicitly sexual material
an adult magazine
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in matured
fully grown or developed
insects that are butterflies in their adult stage
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 adult
Laura A. Bischoff, USA Today, 6 Apr. 2025
Three adults were also fatally shot: Mike Hill, the school custodian; Katherine Koonce, the head of the school; and substitute teacher Cynthia Peak.
—Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 5 Apr. 2025
Tara Duggan, San Francisco Chronicle, 6 Mar. 2023
The first whale found this month, a sub-adult male gray whale, was recovered Jan. 11 in Winchester Bay and was slain by killer whales, according to Milstein.
—oregonlive, 24 Jan. 2023
See All Example Sentences for adult
Noun
That's when the two adult dogs and two puppies cornered Avery, barking and growling at her.
—Adjective
There has not been a sighting of a calf since 2005, though juvenile and sub-adult whales have been seen more recently, Crance said.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for adult
Adjective
-
Fast forward 20 minutes after the latest mature words uttered by the Wild’s wily ol’ vet.—
-
The workshop is part of SBCC’s mission to support community engagement for mature adults in Solana Beach, according to a news release.—
Noun
-
Besides reuniting with them, Wilmore, a church elder, is looking forward to getting back to face-to-face ministering, and Williams can’t wait to walk her two Labrador retrievers.—
-
Besides reuniting with them, Wilmore, a church elder, is looking forward to getting back to face-to-face ministering and Williams can't wait to walk her two Labrador retrievers.—
Adjective
-
Directed by two Emmy-award-winning filmmakers, Stanley Nelson and Nicole London, the film features Miller and other funk royalty such as George Clinton, leader of the Parliament and Funkadelic groups, plus members of classic funk groups like the Ohio Players, famous for their erotic album covers.—
-
Deadline is hearing the script is about Delaney Pitts, a nerdy teenage virgin who has a secret online life as an erotic fan fiction author.—
Adjective
-
Once ripe, they can be consumed in various dishes, like salads and guacamole, or on their own.—
-
The table above suggests that the conditions are ripe for another price crash, albeit perhaps a fender-bender.—
Cite this Entry
“Adult.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adult. Accessed 18 Apr. 2025.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share