mature
gb/mət͡ʃˈʊɹ/ us/mət͡ʃˈʊɹ/
B1
English
~ 1100
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B1
property
1
Fully grown or developed
Fully grown in body or mind.
Usage pattern:
[someone/something] is mature
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'mature' with 'old'; 'mature' means fully developed, not necessarily elderly.
Synonyms
grown-up (More informal; often refers specifically to adults rather than the quality of development.)
|
fully developed (Focuses on the completion of growth without implying emotional maturity.)
Antonyms
immature (Describes someone or something not fully developed physically or mentally.)
Collocations
mature adult
|mature tree
|mature student
|physically mature
|mentally mature
Themes
personal development
|biology
|psychology
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She is a mature woman who knows what she wants in life.
- The oak tree is fully mature and produces plenty of acorns.
- He is very mature for his age.
Learner examples
- My sister is a mature person.
- This plant is now mature.
- He is mature and makes good choices.
adjective
B1
property
2
Emotionally responsible and sensible
Acting in a way that shows you can control your feelings and make good decisions.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is mature about [something]
Common mistake:
Learners may think 'mature' here means 'serious'; it means emotionally grown-up, which can still include humor.
Synonyms
responsible (Emphasizes reliability rather than emotional composure.)
|
sensible (Focuses on practicality and reason, not necessarily emotional growth.)
Antonyms
childish (Describes behavior that is silly or not appropriate for an adult.)
Collocations
mature decision
|mature approach
|mature attitude
|mature conversation
Themes
emotions
|personal development
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He handled the criticism in a very mature way.
- Making a mature decision means thinking about the long-term effects.
- She gave a mature response to the difficult question.
Learner examples
- She is very mature for a teenager.
- He made a mature choice to wait.
- That was a mature way to solve the problem.
Verb
B1
action
3
To become fully developed
To grow or change until you are fully developed.
Usage pattern:
[someone/something] matures
Synonyms
develop (Broader term; can refer to many kinds of progress, not just reaching full growth.)
Antonyms
regress (To return to a less developed state.)
Collocations
mature over time
|slowly mature
|help [someone] mature
Themes
biology
|personal development
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Children mature at different rates.
- The wine will mature over the next five years.
- She has matured a lot since starting college.
Learner examples
- I matured during my time abroad.
- The baby will mature into an adult.
- The fruit matures in summer.
adjective
B2
property
4
Intended for adults only
Made for adults because it has serious ideas or sexual/violent material.
Synonyms
adult-oriented (More formal; specifically targets adult audiences.)
Antonyms
family-friendly (Suitable for all ages without adult material.)
Collocations
mature content
|mature themes
|mature audience
Themes
media
|entertainment
|arts_entertainment
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The film contains mature themes and strong language.
- This book is recommended for a mature audience.
- The game is rated 'Mature' for violence and nudity.
Learner examples
- This movie has mature content.
- The book is for a mature audience.
- It has some mature themes.
Verb
technical
B2
action
5
To become ready over time
To change slowly until it is ready to use or eat.
Synonyms
ripen (Common for fruit; 'mature' is broader and includes non-food contexts like cheese or wine.)
Antonyms
spoil (To decay or rot instead of improving with time.)
Collocations
mature cheese
|mature wine
Themes
food
|wine-making
|food_drink
|nature
|time
Examples
- The cheese needs to mature for six months before sale.
- This wine matures in oak barrels.
- The flavor matures as the fruit ripens.
Learner examples
- The cheese will mature in the cellar.
- Wine matures in barrels.
- The taste matures after cooking.
Grammar
Dictionary form
mature
IPA
GB/mət͡ʃˈʊɹ/
US/mət͡ʃˈʊɹ/
Syllables & stress
ma - ture (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (ture)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: mature
- Comparative: maturer
- Superlative: maturest
Verb
- Base: mature
- 3rd Person Singular: matures
- Present Participle: maturing
- Past: matured
Word family
Expressions
mature audience only
1/mət͡ʃˈʊɹ ˈɔdiəns ˈoʊnli/
fixed phrase
Restricted to adult viewers
Only people over a certain age can watch because of sexual or violent content.
Examples
- This program is intended for a mature audience only.
- The warning said 'Mature Audience Only' due to graphic scenes.
mature student
1/mət͡ʃˈʊɹ stˈudənt/
fixed phrase
Adult returning to education
An adult who goes back to study after working or being away from school for years.
Examples
- The university offers special support for mature students.
- Many universities offer special support for mature students.
- As a mature student, she brought valuable work experience to the class.
- As a mature student, she brought valuable life experience to the class.