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.
The owner says she wants future generations of female players to enjoy opportunities equal to those available to boys, regardless of where they grow up.
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
One said, “A man does not grow up until he has kids of his own.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026
“One day he’ll grow up, or maybe not.”
From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026
A panel of experts—convened by Von der Leyen—issued a report earlier this year outlining how they believe rules should be implemented, including by staggering how children can use platforms as they grow up.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026
“I didn’t grow up with a cell phone, and I survived.”
From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas
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.
