Definition of adolescencenext
as in youth
the transitional period between childhood and adulthood adolescence can be a turbulent time for teenagers and parents alike

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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Recent Examples of adolescence Nearly all of it goes to people already in crisis, past the point where the underlying biology could have been redirected, whether in infancy or in adolescence or midlife. — Holly Baines, STAT, 14 Oct. 2026 During adolescence, the brain becomes especially attuned to peer approval, which means acceptance, rejection and belonging all hit with more force. — Ashley Lynch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Oct. 2026 Doctors say nervousness and worry are both expected emotions that teenagers can commonly experience in response to stressful events of adolescence such as exams, adapting to new environments or forming friendships. — ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026 Huang, who had long hoped to work with Yen, says the director’s shorts showed rare command of performance and sound and image, along with an honest grasp of adolescence. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for adolescence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adolescence
Noun
  • Once a staple among cowboys and railroad workers, the Lee 101 became a symbol of youth rebellion in the 1950s, when James Dean popularized the jeans and helped solidify their association with biker culture.
    — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Los Angeles County’s Department of Arts and Culture is building its 2028 effort around existing grants, youth programs, public art and neighborhood partnerships, Director Kristin Sakoda said.
    — Jane Horowitz, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The Canucks are in the infancy of their rebuild, so a pair of run-and-gun games made sense.
    — Janson Duench, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026
  • This is an important quest; POP III stars were primarily composed of hydrogen and helium, the lightest elements, and all that was available in the universe's infancy.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Visible minorities remain vastly underrepresented among France’s political and business elites.
    — Nicholas Bequelin, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The measures are meant to address wealth disparities created by apartheid, when South Africa’s white minority excluded Black people from the economy.
    — John Eligon, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Adolescence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adolescence. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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