Synonyms for

Adolescent

Verb / ˌædʌˈlesʌnt / / ˌædəʊˈlesʌnt / Another word for adolescent — explore alternatives below. For syllable breakdowns and pronunciation, see this word on Syllablesworld.

Definition

Adolescent means a young person who is in the process of growing up, typically between the ages of 10 and 19.

Synonyms & similar words

jejune teenage teenaged teenager stripling juvenile puerile teen teenager youth juvenile youngster minor pubescent growing maturing developing emerging budding nascent infant toddler child teen adolescence

Synonyms by register

Formal

youth juvenile teenager

Informal

teen kid youngster

Literary

stripling youthful

Antonyms

child infant baby toddler preteen youngster

Common collocations

  • adolescent brain
  • adolescent development
  • adolescent behavior
  • adolescent psychology
  • adolescent issues
  • adolescent period
  • adolescent growth

Word family

noun adolescence
adjective adolescent

Usage note

Adolescent is a formal term for a teenager. While it can be used neutrally, it sometimes carries a slightly clinical or detached connotation.

Example sentences

  1. The adolescent boy was tall and lanky.
  2. She was nervous about starting high school as an adolescent.
  3. The adolescent struggled with self-confidence.
  4. My little sister is becoming an adolescent and starting to act more grown-up.
  5. The adolescent years are a time of many changes and challenges.

Quotes

  • Adolescence is just one big walking pimple. - Carol Burnett
  • Adolescence is when girls experience social pressure to put aside their authentic selves and to display only a small portion of their gifts. - Mary Pipher
  • Adolescence is a new birth, for the higher and more completely human traits are now born. - G. Stanley Hall

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