youthful
Americanadjective
-
characterized by youth; young.
-
of, relating to, or befitting youth.
youthful enthusiasm.
-
having the appearance, freshness, vigor, etc., of youth.
She is 60 but her optimism has kept her youthful.
-
in an early period of existence; early in time.
-
Physical Geography. (of topographical features) having undergone erosion to a slight extent only.
adjective
-
of, relating to, possessing, or characteristic of youth
-
fresh, vigorous, or active
he's surprisingly youthful for his age
-
in an early stage of development
a youthful culture
-
Also: young. (of a river, valley, or land surface) in the early stage of the cycle of erosion, characterized by steep slopes, lack of flood plains, and V-shaped valleys Compare mature old
Related Words
See young.
Other Word Forms
- preyouthful adjective
- unyouthful adjective
- unyouthfully adverb
- unyouthfulness noun
- youthfully adverb
- youthfulness noun
Etymology
Origin of youthful
Explanation
Use the adjective youthful to describe someone who is young or who acts as though they are — like your surprisingly youthful grandma, who just signed up for a hiphop dance class and rides her skateboard around the neighborhood. This word is handy for talking about the general characteristics of young people, like youthful energy, youthful stubbornness, or youthful enthusiasm. You might also say someone looks youthful if they appear younger than they are. Someone who acts youthful might enjoy swinging on the swings at the playground, even if they're no longer a kid. At the heart of youthful is youth, "the period between childhood and adulthood."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Yet, Mascaro and his equally youthful co-screenwriter Tibério Azul are wise beyond their years.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026
Chitwood has invested in a company working on epigenetic reprogramming, a process that aims to restore cells to a youthful state by pulling a specific combination of genetic levers.
From Slate • Mar. 30, 2026
The flowers symbolise both the youthful energy and the fragility of life in Japanese culture as full blooms only last about a week.
From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026
By the time Coppola readied her pivotal first film, “The Virgin Suicides,” Jacobs was crowned the powerhouse creative director of Louis Vuitton, tasked with infusing a stale heritage luxury brand with youthful energy.
From Salon • Mar. 27, 2026
“Then what spews from your cauldron?” the youthful goddess questioned.
From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
