grown-up

American  

[grohn-uhp] / ˈgroʊnˈʌp /

adjective

1. having reached the age of maturity.

2. characteristic of or suitable for adults.

   grown-up behavior; grown-up fiction.

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grown-up British  

adjective

1. having reached maturity; adult

2. suitable for or characteristic of an adult

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noun

1. an adult

Other Word Forms

• grown-upness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of grown-up

First recorded in 1625–35; adj. use of verb phrase grow up

Example Sentences

A maximalist, grown-up riff on seven-layer dip: smoky chorizo, creamy beans, sweet corn and tangy crema stacked into something closer to a full meal than a snack.

From Salon • Apr. 28, 2026

"Sometimes I feel he is more grown-up and I'm more childish," she says, "though I can be quite bossy."

From BBC • Apr. 25, 2026

But he turns out to be no more grown-up or emotionally mature.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026

In the place of this media ecosystem, a new girl-world has emerged, only this time it exists in a weird, perpetual limbo between girlhood and grown-up life.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026

The pretty paper made me feel more grown-up, like I knew what I was doing.

From "From the Desk of Zoe Washington" by Janae Marks