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 AI,” Smith said.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 14, 2026
Experts have said that doing so can expose children to unforeseen risks such as identity theft, fraud or impede their privacy as they grow up.
From BBC ● Jul. 3, 2026
Hurtado said he had seen the children grow up on this campus and he was proud of them.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 27, 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
If I grow up and become a detective and some kid who doesn’t have any money wants my help, I will say yes.
From "The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman" by Gennifer Choldenko
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.
