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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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
Finalists, who have just been announced, have captured magnificent shots of everything from fish protecting their young to human impact – good and bad. — Lianne Kolirin, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026 From my perspective, I was sent to ward away from family from a really young age and haven’t seen my mother in years. — Josh Wigler, HollywoodReporter, 12 Aug. 2026
Noun
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 Some dine on other jellyfish — even their own young when food is scarce. — Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel, 18 Mar. 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
  • From boutique designers to world-class jazz clubs, the capital abounds equally with youthful energy and a flair for art.
    — Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Despite Villa reaching their zenith under Emery in May, there was a growing argument to undergo a stable transitional phase, providing youthful impetus and appearing proactive, rather than reactive, in lowering the age of the squad.
    — Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of youthful
Noun
  • But one of Monty and Rose's offspring, a male named Imani, went on nesting at Montrose Beach and was paired with a female named Sea Rocket.
    — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 9 Aug. 2026
  • In animals that have litters, such as rodents, dogs, cats, pigs and kangaroos, a dead fetus will be reabsorbed by the mother’s body to protect the rest of her offspring.
    — Sandee LaMotte, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of offspring
Adjective
  • And it must be said that while the material is thoroughly juvenile, the films impart valuable messages to their impressionable viewers.
    — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 9 Aug. 2026
  • After the altercation, the juvenile employee recalled that Grayson appeared to lower herself to the floor in the dining area.
    — Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of juvenile
Noun
  • In addition, copper piping allows visitors to breathe in air directly from the bee brood chambers, which is claimed to have natural organic compounds and has a sweet scent of raw honey and beeswax.
    — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 6 Aug. 2026
  • When Nikki Spoelstra organizes play dates for her brood in the not too distant future, there soon will be a cool new place to go.
    — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of brood
Adjective
  • In the first stage, 3 to 6 months in a mouse [about 20 to 30 years in a human], there is a loss of certain fat and muscle cells, and of two immature cell types in the brain that have the capacity to regenerate different types of brain tissue.
    — Ingrid Wickelgren, Quanta Magazine, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The science remains too immature to show whether such behavior is inevitable, Hobbhahn says.
    — Chris Stokel-Walker, Scientific American, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of immature
Noun
  • The resulting maggots hatch within a day and begin ravenously feasting on the living flesh of their victims.
    — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 7 Aug. 2026
  • In a laboratory 2 kilometers underground, a crane lowers Matt Depatie, a detector technologist, through a hatch into a white-walled cavern filled with about 7,000 tons of ultrapure water that glows as blue as wiper fluid in the light.
    — James Dinneen, Quanta Magazine, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of hatch
Adjective
  • The desire for teens to overhaul their look during high school is a healthy part of adolescent development.
    — Liz Regalia, Parents, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Child and adolescent family therapist Darby Fox explains how teens view social media.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 9 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 16 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on young

Nglish: Translation of young for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about young

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