Juvenile

/ˈd͡ʒuːvənaɪl/

Synonyms for "juvenile" (238 found)

Ranked by relevance and common usage.

Closest matches (48)

actoractressadolescentantagonistat half cockbabybabyishbad guybarnstormerbest sellerbookbound bookboyboyishbudcallowcharactercharacter actorcharacter mancharacter woman
Show 11 more words
chickchickabiddychildchild actorchildishchitclassiccoloring bookdefinitive workdiseurdiseuse
Adjective(6 words)
Adjective(1 words)

Strong matches (71)

Adjective(7 words)
Noun(18 words)
earthling childhatchlingimmaturejuvenile animaljuvenile mammaljuvenile offenderjuvenile personkiddiekiddoeskiddykidsminorminor childminor offenderminorsmudanaivenippers
Verb(1 words)
Adjective(1 words)
Adverb(2 words)
less mature peopleless mature persons

Related words (119)

Noun(27 words)
nymphoffspringpeeweespiccaninnypreadultreformatoryrepotting guidelinesrudimentaryseedling displaysonnyspanish menorsucklingtendertoddlingtoyish designwhippersnappersyearlingyoung animalyoung creatureyoung people
Show 7 more words
young plant stemsyoung plant tissueyoungest plantyoungsteryouthyouth nationalyouthful
Adjective(13 words)
puerilesophomoricteenagetoyishunagedunderageyoung human beingyoung mathematicianyoung organismyoung plant growthyoung plant leavesyoung treeyounger plant

Choosing the right synonym

  • Closest matches in this entry: child, actor, actress, adolescent, adolescent.
  • Sentence evidence is available for juvenile, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
  • Ranking signals come from derived_reverse, moby, wordnet, opengloss, and related lexical sources.

Synonym selection checklist

  • Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
  • Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
  • Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "juvenile".
  • Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.

When not to replace "juvenile"

Keep "juvenile" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.

If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.

Replacement workflow

1. Preserve meaning

Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "juvenile" intact in the sentence you are editing.

2. Tune tone

Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.

3. Re-read context

Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.

Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.

Final fit check

After choosing a replacement for "juvenile", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.

If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "juvenile" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.

Related word relations

OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.

7 relation types

More general

13 entries

More specific

15 entries
adolescentcalfcubfawnimmature behaviorjuvenile delinquentjuvenile fictionjuvenile nonfictionminor offenderpreteenpuprudimentary skillsteenagertweenyoung offender

Collocations

9 entries
juvenile courtjuvenile crimejuvenile delinquencyjuvenile delinquentjuvenile detentionjuvenile fictionjuvenile justicejuvenile literaturejuvenile rehabilitation

Inflections

3 entries
juvenilesmore juvenilemost juvenile

Derivations

3 entries

Antonyms

1 entries

similar

1 entries

Sample sentences

28 total sentences available.

Tatoeba + Wiktionary

Recently juvenile delinquency has been on the rise.

Source: tatoeba (18728)

The juvenile crimes are increasing recently.

Source: tatoeba (268071)

However, the general crime number has not decreased though the juvenile delinquency stands out.

Source: tatoeba (268072)

The increase in juvenile delinquency is a serious problem.

Source: tatoeba (268073)

Showing 4 of 28 available sentences.

Common questions

What are the closest synonyms for "juvenile"?

Closest matches include child, actor, actress, adolescent, adolescent.

How should I check whether a synonym fits "juvenile"?

Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.

More for "juvenile"