grow up

verb

grew up; grown up; growing up; grows up

intransitive verb

1
a
: to grow toward or arrive at full stature or physical or mental maturity : to progress from childhood toward adulthood
growing up intellectually
grew up in the city
also : to become an adult
She wants to be a doctor when she grows up.
b
: to stop thinking or behaving in a childish way
He should grow up and accept his responsibilities.
2
: to begin to exist and develop as time passes
A number of cities grew up along the river.

Examples of grow up in a Sentence

everyone has to grow up at some point in their lives
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Fortunately, the new place was not far away and was already familiar and familial—Alexander grew up in the building, and his parents still live there. Michael Boodro, Architectural Digest, 18 Apr. 2025 Generation Beta will grow up with artificial intelligence integrated into various aspects of life, from healthcare to education, according to the BBC. Janae Bowens, Baltimore Sun, 18 Apr. 2025 Stamford resident Christian Neyra grew up in Naugatuck and has been going to the market his entire life. Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 18 Apr. 2025 According to a profile on the group by the Washington Post, Esparza Reyes grew up in Tijuana and secretly wanted to be a police officer. Lucia I Suarez Sang, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for grow up

Word History

First Known Use

1535, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of grow up was in 1535

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Grow up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grow%20up. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

grow up

verb
: to grow toward or reach full mental and physical growth

More from Merriam-Webster on grow up

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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