What does "adult" mean?
An animal that is full-grown.
Adult
/ˈæd.ʌlt/ adj, noun, verb, slang
adj, noun, verb, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An animal that is full-grown.
- Grammar: adult is listed as adj, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: grownup, adult citizen, adult form, adultlike.
- Useful contrasts: childish, babier, babiest.
- Usage evidence: And yet, in the "real adult world" there are a lot of competitions.
How to use "adult"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "adult" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "adult" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "adult" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "adult" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "adult" is acting as adj, noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "grownup" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "adult", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An animal that is full-grown.
"The young not only differs from the adult by the presence of its gills, but its feet are only developed by degrees, and in several genera there are also a deciduous beak and tail, and intestines of a different form"
- 2 any mature animal wordnet
- 3 A person who has reached the legal age of majority.
- 4 a fully developed person from maturity onward wordnet
Verb
- 1 To behave like an adult. intransitive, slang
"Adulting is hard!"
- 2 To (cause to) be or become an adult. nonstandard, rare
"Womanhood was achieved at twenty-one, when the female was "adulted"; manhood was fully achieved at twenty-five, […]"
Adjective
- 1 Fully grown.
"an adult human, animal, or plant"
- 2 Intended for or restricted to adults rather than children due to size, maturity, knowledge level, judgement, etc.
"adult clothes; adult cereal; an adult documentary"
- 3 Intended for or restricted to adults rather than children due to size, maturity, knowledge level, judgement, etc.; Containing situations or discussions intended primarily for adults, such as serious crime, illicit drug use, extramarital affairs, etc.
"adult situations; adult discussions"
- 4 Intended for or restricted to adults rather than children due to size, maturity, knowledge level, judgement, etc.; Containing alcohol, intended for consumption only by adults.
"an adult drink; an adult root beer float"
- 5 Intended for or restricted to adults rather than children due to size, maturity, knowledge level, judgement, etc.; Containing marijuana, intended for consumption only by adults. usually
"an adult cookie; adult gummy worms"
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 Intended for or restricted to adults rather than children due to size, maturity, knowledge level, judgement, etc.; Containing material of an explicit sexual nature; pornographic.
"an adult movie"
- 7 Intended for or restricted to adults rather than children due to size, maturity, knowledge level, judgement, etc.; Containing excessive vulgar or profane speech, text or images, intended only for adults.
"adult language; an adult cartoon"
- 8 Intended for or restricted to adults rather than children due to size, maturity, knowledge level, judgement, etc.; Intended for, or restricted to, those who are not young children.
"an adult menu; an adult fare"
Adjective
- 1 (of animals) fully developed wordnet
- 2 designed to arouse lust wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"And yet, in the "real adult world" there are a lot of competitions."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "adult"?
Common synonyms include: grownup, adult citizen, adult form, adultlike, aged, big.
How do you use "adult" in a sentence?
And yet, in the "real adult world" there are a lot of competitions.
How do you pronounce "adult"?
Pronounced /ˈæd.ʌlt/.
Etymology
From French adulte, from Latin adultus (“grown up”), perfect passive participle of adolescō (“I grow up”). Compare adolescent.