young 1 of 2

adjective

ˈyəŋ How to pronounce young (audio)
Definition of youngnext
as in youthful
being in the early stage of life, growth, or development a young cat requires more food than an older one a young tree that will eventually reach 50 feet tall

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

young

2 of 2

noun

as in offspring

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Dissimilar Words

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 young
Adjective
Parton and my mom taught that literacy was key to succeeding — Mami regularly took us to the library, while Dolly created a nonprofit that provides free books to young children, including Spanish-language options. — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026 But these days, her family takes precedence over Hollywood, as Combs noted that her two youngest sons are still in high school. — Daysia Tolentino, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Aug. 2026
Noun
Understanding New Wood Hydrangeas Hydrangeas that bloom on new wood produce flower buds on tender young stems that emerges in spring. — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 24 Apr. 2026 Researchers have identified a new species of miniature marsupial frog that carries its young in a pouch on its back — a trait that sets it apart from the vast majority of frog species worldwide. — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 5 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for young
Recent Examples of Synonyms for young
  1. youthful
  2. offspring
  3. juvenile
  4. brood
  5. immature
  6. hatch
  7. adolescent
  8. progeny
Adjective
  • Newcastle could not advance with either deal and, although injecting a veteran into a youthful squad would have been beneficial, both would also have been short-to-medium-term solutions.
    — Chris Waugh, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Hansen’s sentence was first reduced to 25 years to life, and the state later created a pathway to earlier parole for many youthful offenders serving life sentences.
    — Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of youthful
Noun
  • Their efforts to hatch and raise offspring at their nest in Southern California became popular with live cam viewers.
    — Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Concurrent surrogacy is used to increase the odds of having a child — in some instances, for rich, single men to create as many of their biological offspring as their egos demand.
    — Arthur L. Caplan, STAT, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of offspring
Adjective
  • At Monday's news conference, Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison said the suspect, who had not yet been named, was not previously involved in the juvenile justice system.
    — Natalie Davies, Freep.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Nikole Ramos was booked into jail and the teen was booked into juvenile hall for murder, police said.
    — Brandon Downs, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of juvenile
Noun
  • The eldest in the brood carries a very strong air of leadership, not just within her own band but also her cognizance of the greater picture and how much impact the Warning is having on a new flock of young girls.
    — Selena Fragassi, SPIN, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The new addition to the family is set to join their brood later this year in December.
    — Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of brood
Adjective
  • There’s nothing wrong with holding on to childhood and being a little immature from time to time.
    — Loren Savini, Allure, 22 Aug. 2026
  • The acclaimed writer Rachel Cusk’s controversial new novel Life of M is an intimate, unvarnished character study of an A-list movie star who is depicted as hollow, immature and cynical, an intellectual poseur and an artist wannabe.
    — Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of immature
Noun
  • The team raised the vehicle’s rear hatch and angled it toward the sun throughout the day.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026
  • As the plane boarded, Steve Buckingham happened to come through the hatch.
    — Martha Ackmann, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of hatch
Adjective
  • But the increasing role of private equity firms is also driving up costs, with adolescent athletes looking at pricier options outside of rec leagues at younger and younger ages.
    — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The National Institutes of Health found a 121% increase in adolescent overdose deaths between 2010 and 2021, a sobering reminder of the impact on schools.
    — Nathalia Fernandez, New York Daily News, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of adolescent
Noun
  • This renunciation has had little impact on their progeny, who already studied them for years and viewed their content as a portrait of a viable future.
    — Margaux MacColl, Vanity Fair, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Two rising progeny of big names sharing space on a call sheet would be surreal enough, but the series that small screen impresario Ryan Murphy adapted from the novel by Bret Easton Ellis goes one step further.
    — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 30 July 2026
Definition of progeny

Phrases Containing young

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yores
young
youngish
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Cite this Entry

“Young.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/young. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on young

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about young

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