youthful
Americanadjective
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characterized by youth; young.
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of, relating to, or befitting youth.
youthful enthusiasm.
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having the appearance, freshness, vigor, etc., of youth.
She is 60 but her optimism has kept her youthful.
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in an early period of existence; early in time.
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Physical Geography. (of topographical features) having undergone erosion to a slight extent only.
adjective
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of, relating to, possessing, or characteristic of youth
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fresh, vigorous, or active
he's surprisingly youthful for his age
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in an early stage of development
a youthful culture
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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
Synonym Usage
See young.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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.
The “Dude” who conducted “Cantata Criolla” 16 years ago was a youthful advocate, barely older than the oldest now in YOLA.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026
What irks me is how one-note the character writing is, and how the movie’s youthful, seemingly forward-thinking perspective allows Barker to get away with reducing Nikki to nothing.
From Salon • Jun. 4, 2026
Their squad depth, which has improved over recent seasons, has depth and youthful talent, but is yet to be fully tested.
From BBC • May 31, 2026
And which makes the series’ regular return to a youthful Nadal so poignant.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 2026
It was nearly two pounds in weight, a tribute to Brother Alf’s angling skills combined with the youthful muscles of Matthias and their joint enthusiasm.
From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques
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.
