What does "youth" mean?
The quality or state of being young.
Youth
/juːθ/ noun
noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The quality or state of being young.
- Grammar: youth is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: young person, youthfulness, adolescence, adolescence.
- Useful contrasts: adult stage, aged citizens, ancient.
- Usage evidence: Is there a youth hostel near here?
How to use "youth"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "youth" 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 "youth" 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 "youth" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "youth" 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 "youth" is acting as noun 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 "young person" 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 "youth", 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 The quality or state of being young. uncountable
"Serene, smiling, enigmatic, she faced him with no fear whatever showing in her dark eyes. The clear light of the bright autumn morning had no terrors for youth and health like hers."
- 2 the freshness and vitality characteristic of a young person wordnet
- 3 The part of life following childhood; the period of existence preceding maturity or age; the whole early part of life, from childhood, or, sometimes, from infancy, to adulthood. uncountable
"Make the most of your youth, it will not last forever."
- 4 young people collectively wordnet
- 5 A young person. countable
"There was a group of youths hanging around the parking lot, reading fashion magazines and listening to music."
Show 6 more definitions
- 6 a young person (especially a young man or boy) wordnet
- 7 A young man; a male adolescent or young adult. countable
"[…]and then a youth appeared—no one quite knew where from or to whom he belonged—but he settled down with them in a happy-go-lucky way, and they all lived together."
- 8 early maturity; the state of being young or immature or inexperienced wordnet
- 9 Young persons, collectively. uncountable
"The actual brides- and grooms-to-be are not in attendance—many youth would be embarrassed by their parents’ matchmaking efforts, and often do not live in the same city anyway."
- 10 the time of life between childhood and maturity wordnet
- 11 an early period of development wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"Is there a youth hostel near here?"
Common questions
What is a synonym for "youth"?
Common synonyms include: young person, youthfulness, adolescence, adolescence, adolescent, adolescent.
How do you use "youth" in a sentence?
Is there a youth hostel near here?
How do you pronounce "youth"?
Pronounced /juːθ/.
Etymology
From Middle English youthe, youghte, ȝouþe, from Old English ġeoguþ (“the state of being young; youth”), from Proto-West Germanic *juwunþa, from Proto-Germanic *jugunþō, *jugunþiz (“youth”), corresponding to young + -th (abstract nominal suffix). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Juugd, West Frisian jeugd, Dutch jeugd, German Low German Jöögd, German Jugend.