as in boy
a male person who has not yet reached adulthood
the young boxer looked like a mere stripling next to his larger, more seasoned opponent
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stripling
More important still, thrilling these ultra-cultured striplings means winning over mom and dad, too.
—
Devorah Lev-Tov, Robb Report, 25 June 2023
In Dunst’s hands, Antoinette is naturally happy, an excitable stripling full of life — the sort of protagonist you’d root for simply because the performer inhabiting her is so agreeable.
—Matthew Jacobs, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2021
Best-selling author Margaret George has just published a novel repackaging the Roman emperor Nero, whose name has evoked mayhem and recreational pyromania for the past 2,000 years, as a misunderstood stripling.
—Joe Queenan, WSJ, 5 May 2017
Devorah Lev-Tov, Robb Report, 25 June 2023
In Dunst’s hands, Antoinette is naturally happy, an excitable stripling full of life — the sort of protagonist you’d root for simply because the performer inhabiting her is so agreeable.
—Matthew Jacobs, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2021
Best-selling author Margaret George has just published a novel repackaging the Roman emperor Nero, whose name has evoked mayhem and recreational pyromania for the past 2,000 years, as a misunderstood stripling.
—Joe Queenan, WSJ, 5 May 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stripling
Noun
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This reporter is old enough to remember being a young lad, watching trailers before a different feature, seeing the first coming attraction for Die Hard and hearing the audience snicker at the concept of David Addison as the next Rambo.—
Jordan Hoffman,
EW.com,
31 May 2025
-
The Tottenham lads had flights, so Glenn Hoddle rented us his hire car — after some hard bargaining.—
Andy Mitten,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
Noun
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Other pictures and clips showed the teenager with some of his fellow prom-goers and a large shot of the entire class celebrating the momentous occasion.—
Hannah Sacks,
People.com,
6 June 2025
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Emmanuel-Thomas had got his first call-up to Arsenal’s first-team squad at age 17, and there were almost two years when the teenager trained under manager Arsene Wenger’s watchful eye.—
Stuart James,
New York Times,
6 June 2025
Noun
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Morrison is 32 now — older, wiser, a lot more worldly than the kid who got into trouble, ended up in court and left Old Trafford without fulfilling that rare potential.—
Daniel Taylor,
New York Times,
6 June 2025
-
Well, all but Prince Harry, his wife, Meghan Markle, and their two kids.—
Lissete Lanuza Sáenz,
StyleCaster,
6 June 2025
Noun
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Her mother, now an author, was a Freudian therapist who worked with children and adolescents.—
Dodie Kazanjian,
Vogue,
5 June 2025
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Even more revealing, research shows that up to 22% of children and adolescents struggle with disordered eating.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
3 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stripling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stripling. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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