adulthood

American  

[uh-duhlt-hood] / əˈdʌlt hʊd /

noun

1. the state or period of being fully grown, fully developed, or of age.

   My mother raised four children to adulthood.

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Etymology

Origin of adulthood

adult ( def. ) + -hood ( def. )

Explanation

When you stop growing and start shaving, you are in adulthood — a point where you reach maturity. Unfortunately, physical adulthood does not necessarily imply that psychological adulthood is present. Adulthood implies a maturity of sorts, whether it be physical or psychological. In many cultures, adulthood is marked with a “coming of age” ritual. In Judaism for example, adulthood is marked by the Bat Mitzvah for girls (age 12) and the Bar Mitzvah for boys (age 13) — in which the girl or boy is considered to have reached adulthood within the community.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

adulthood

We were inculcated with the importance of charity, love toward all, good works and humility, and urged to carry those virtues into adulthood.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026

The Japanese macaque - also known as a snow monkey - is about the size of a medium-sized dog once it reaches adulthood.

From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026

Factors that shape cognitive abilities during childhood and adolescence may have lasting effects that extend into adulthood, potentially influencing education and working life.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 17, 2026

That makes adulthood feel less like independence and more like an abrupt transition into a harsh world of trade-offs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

And that afternoon she seemed to accept the idea, granted me the right, the freedom so crucial to adulthood, to become a person very different in public from the person I am at home.

From "Hunger of Memory" by Richard Rodriguez

Related Words

• boldness
• bravery
• courage
• fortitude
• masculinity
• mettle
• nobility
• potency
• virility