Young — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective noun /ˈyəŋ/

Meaning & Definition of Young

Young (adjective)

  1. being in the first or an early stage of life, growth, or development
  2. junior
  3. of an early, tender, or desirable age for use as food or drink

Young (noun)

  1. young persons, youth
  2. immature offspring —used especially of animals
  3. a single recently born or hatched animal

Young (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. being in the early stage of life, growth, or development

    "a young cat requires more food than an older one"

    "a young tree that will eventually reach 50 feet tall"

    similar: adolescent, immature, juvenile, youngish, youthful
    related: ephebic, minor, preteen, subadult, teenage, underage, embryonic, emergent, callow, green, inexperienced, puerile, raw, babyish, childish, childlike, infantile, infantine, kiddish, undeveloped, unfinished, unfledged, unformed, unripe, unripened, blooming, blossoming, burgeoning, flourishing, flowering
    opposite: adult, grown-up, mature, matured
    near: aged, aging, ancient, elderly, geriatric, long-lived, old, older, oldish, senescent, senior, full-blown, full-fledged, golden, mellow, ripe, ripened, middle-aged, anile, decrepit, doddering, over-the-hill, senile, spavined, tottery

Young (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in litter, brood

    similar: brood, hatch, litter, fruit, get, issue, offspring, posterity, progeny, seed, spawn, child, scion, family, kin, lineage, stock
    opposite: ancestor, antecedent, father, forebear, forebearer, forefather, grandfather, parent, primogenitor, progenitor

Related Entry: Young Turk (noun)

Young Turk is a different word from Young. The synonyms below are for young Turk, not for young.

  1. as in rebel, extremist

    similar: crazy, extremist, radical, revolutionary, revolutionist, agitator, insurgent, insurrectionist, rebel, secessionist, separationist, separatist, leftist, lefty, red, progressive, reformer, reformist, anarch, anarchist, subversive
    opposite: middle-of-the-roader, moderate, conservative, fuddy-duddy, reactionary, rightist, standpatter, Tory, traditionalist

Related Entry: Young Turks (noun)

Young Turks is a different word from Young. The synonyms below are for young Turks, not for young.

  1. as in rebels, extremists

    similar: crazies, extremists, radicals, revolutionaries, revolutionists, agitators, insurgents, insurrectionists, rebels, secessionists, separationists, separatists, lefties, leftists, reds, progressives, reformers, reformists, anarchists, anarchs, subversives
    opposite: middle-of-the-roaders, moderates, conservatives, fuddy-duddies, reactionaries, rightists, standpatters, Tories, traditionalists

Related Entry: With young (phrase)

With young is a different word from Young. The synonyms below are for with young, not for young.

  1. containing unborn young within the body

    "The kids were thrilled to hear that their family dog, Molly, was with young."

    similar: big, caught, enceinte, expectant, expecting, gone, gravid, heavy, pregnant, quick (archaic), with child
    related: parturient, prenatal, childbearing, gestational, brooding, conceiving, impregnated
    opposite: nonpregnant
    near: barren, infertile, aborting, miscarrying, delivered

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Young

The most common words with a similar meaning to Young:

adolescent, immature, juvenile, youngish, youthful, brood, hatch, litter, fruit, get, issue, offspring, posterity, progeny, seed, spawn, child, scion, family, kin, lineage, stock

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Young

Words with the opposite meaning of Young:

adult, grown-up, mature, matured, ancestor, antecedent, father, forebear, forebearer, forefather, grandfather, parent, primogenitor, progenitor

Related Words for Young

ephebic, minor, preteen, subadult, teenage, underage, embryonic, emergent, callow, green, inexperienced, puerile, raw, babyish, childish, childlike, infantile, infantine, kiddish, undeveloped, unfinished, unfledged, unformed, unripe, unripened, blooming, blossoming, burgeoning, flourishing, flowering

Near Antonyms of Young

aged, aging, ancient, elderly, geriatric, long-lived, old, older, oldish, senescent, senior, full-blown, full-fledged, golden, mellow, ripe, ripened, middle-aged, anile, decrepit, doddering, over-the-hill, senile, spavined, tottery

Word Forms of Young

Inflections: younger, youngest

Derived words: youngish (adjective), youngness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Young

Middle English yong, from Old English geong; akin to Old High German jung young, Latin juvenis

First known use: before 12th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Young

Words & Phrases Containing Young

young adult, Young Avestan

Frequently Asked Questions about Young

What does "Young" mean?

"Young" means being in the first or an early stage of life, growth, or development. As an an adjective and a noun, it is defined as: being in the first or an early stage of life, growth, or development. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Young"?

Other words for "Young" include adolescent, immature, juvenile, youngish, youthful, brood, hatch and litter. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Young" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Young"?

There are 52 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Young". Common alternatives include adolescent, immature, juvenile, youngish, youthful, brood, hatch, litter, fruit and get.

What is the opposite of "Young"?

Antonyms of "Young" include adult, grown-up, mature, matured, ancestor, antecedent, father and forebear. Near antonyms include aged, aging, ancient and elderly.

How do you use "Young" in a sentence?

Examples of "Young" in a sentence: "a young cat requires more food than an older one"; "a young tree that will eventually reach 50 feet tall".

Is "Young" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Young" can be used as an adjective and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Young" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A1-level word, "Young" is typical of Cambridge A1 Movers (Young Learners), TOEIC Listening & Reading 120+.

How do you pronounce "Young"?

"Young" is pronounced /ˈyəŋ/.