of age
Idioms-
Old enough, according to the law, to be eligible for something, as in In this state he's not of age for buying liquor, but he may vote , or Next year Jane's coming of age and will get her driver's license . This usage was first recorded about 1430. The term under age signifies being too young to be eligible, as in It's against the law to serve alcohol to anyone under age .
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come of age . Mature or develop fully, as in The school's bilingual program has finally come of age .
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.
Regardless of age, the most financially independent people engage in worst-case thinking.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 12, 2026
Afterwards, Djokovic said the reality of age and injuries had "hit me right now, the last year and a half, like never before".
From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026
A study published by the National Bureau of Economic Research finds that small firms’ job-creating prowess is largely a function of age, not size: Young firms start small and grow if they prosper.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026
The researchers found that people who reached 100 years of age had unusually high levels of certain primary and secondary bile acids along with preserved levels of several steroids.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 5, 2026
When Violet comes of age, the fortune will be yours, but the bank will take charge of it until you are old enough.”
From "The Bad Beginning" by Lemony Snicket
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.
