grow up
Britishverb
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to reach maturity; become adult
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to come into existence; develop
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Become an adult, as in Sam wants to be a policeman when he grows up . [First half of 1500s]
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Come into existence, arise, as in Similar social problems grew up in all the big cities . [Late 1500s]
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Become mature or sensible, as in It's time you grew up and faced the facts . This usage may also be in the form of an imperative (as in Don't bite your nails—grow up! ) [Mid-1900s]
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.
"I didn't grow up with AC," said the Frenchman from the Mediterranean city of Nice, who said his family coped using fans.
From Barron's • Jun. 25, 2026
“I didn’t grow up on a reservation. I’m fair-skinned,” he says.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 24, 2026
The findings suggest that the king of dinosaurs may have taken far longer to grow up than anyone previously realized.
From Science Daily • Jun. 22, 2026
The film’s message is clear, even spelled out by characters: Devices force kids to grow up too fast.
From Salon • Jun. 21, 2026
A boy who lacked discipline, whose family was relieved when he was called to France, hoping that maybe the rigors of the army would smooth out his jagged edges, help him grow up.
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
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.
