youth

noun

ˈyüth How to pronounce youth (audio)
Definition of youthnext
1
as in boy
a male person who has not yet reached adulthood a big, strapping youth who, even at his relatively young age, knew the meaning of hard work

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2
as in kid
a young person who is between infancy and adulthood rounded up the neighborhood youths and organized them into a softball team

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in childhood
the state or time of being a child told the young people to enjoy their youth while they could

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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 youth The experts were quite certain that youth mental health has declined, and that smartphones can cause sleep problems. — Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026 Life centered on the factories and the Communist Party – from festivals to youth groups. — Mark Sappenfield, Christian Science Monitor, 4 Sep. 2026 Museum tours cost $10 for adults and $5 for youth ages 6-17, according to the boat's website. — Natalie Davies, Freep.com, 3 Sep. 2026 There are very few American industries that private equity has not leached into, and investors are now setting their sights on the multibillion-dollar youth sports industry, with numerous sports receiving an influx of funds. — Justin Klawans, TheWeek, 3 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for youth
Recent Examples of Synonyms for youth
  1. boy
  2. kid
  3. childhood
  4. teenager
  5. child
  6. adolescent
Noun
  • Ryker Huther is tied for first with 66 for Circle Christian boys golf on the first day of the Titan Invitational.
    — Steve Gorches, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Aug. 2026
  • This 1999 movie is about a manchild named Sonny who takes in a little boy (played by Dylan and Cole Sprouse, perfect for Riverdale fans) to impress his ex-girlfriend.
    — Kara Nesvig, Parents, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of boy
Noun
  • And suppose, additionally, that Haidt is also right, and that—for many kids—smartphones are deepening these problems and adding new ones.
    — Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Bakewell’s donations weren’t the only ones to pose issues for Brotherhood Crusade, which provides an array of services aimed at keeping kids from joining gangs.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of kid
Noun
  • The irony is that in making an American childhood, Jewish creators were also injecting Jewish sensibility into the mainstream.
    — Andrew Silow-Carroll, Sun Sentinel, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Following his 2019 essay for the New Yorker, Murakami recounts a compelling history of fatherhood, family and obligation, transforming an uncanny childhood memory into a deeply personal history.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of childhood
Noun
  • The two teenagers spend a summer helping Tomy’s uncle, portrayed by Hannes Perkmann, with milking and other duties, as well as exploring the outdoors.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The teenager was identified as Moises Ponce Mendoza on GoFundMe by his mother, Mónica Mendoza.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of teenager
Noun
  • In total, the support is equal to almost 70,000 Singapore dollars ($55,000) by the time a child is 17.
    — Angelica Ang, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, settled a lawsuit over the harms of social media to children brought by California and other states.
    — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of child
Noun
  • Getty An island that had spent decades pairing glamour with license was perhaps the wrong place to entrust an adolescent to unusually permissive relatives.
    — Paul Jebara, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Aug. 2026
  • One adolescent possibly had contact with the bat, officials said.
    — Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of adolescent

Browse Nearby Words

young Turks
youth
youthful
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Cite this Entry

“Youth.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/youth. Accessed 6 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on youth

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about youth

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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