youngster
gb/jˈʌŋstɚ/ us/jˈʌŋstɚ/
B1
English
~ 7300
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
entity
1
child or young person
A child or young person, not yet an adult.
Usage pattern:
[a youngster] [does something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "youngster" only for very small children, but it is often used for older children or teenagers as well. Some also try to use it for themselves in formal writing (e.g., "I am a youngster"), which can sound odd; in that case, "young person" or just giving your age is more natural.
Synonyms
child (More general and slightly more formal; does not suggest being close to adulthood.)
|
kid (Very common and more informal; sounds more casual and spoken than "youngster.")
|
youth (Often suggests someone in their teens; can sound slightly more formal or written.)
|
young person (Neutral and descriptive; often used in careful or polite speech.)
Antonyms
adult (Refers to a fully grown person, the opposite age group of a youngster.)
|
grown-up (Informal word for an adult, contrasting with a youngster in everyday speech.)
Collocations
youngsters today
|a talented youngster
|local youngsters
|youngsters in their teens
|school youngsters
|city youngsters
Themes
age
|people
|family
|education
|daily_life
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The club offers free swimming lessons for local youngsters.
- As a youngster, she spent most of her time reading in the library.
- Many youngsters today are interested in learning to code.
- The coach said the team has several promising youngsters this season.
- Parents worry about how much time youngsters spend on their phones.
Learner examples
- Many youngsters play games after school.
- He started to play the guitar when he was a youngster.
- The library is full of youngsters on Saturday.
- Two youngsters sat on the bus and talked loudly.
- Youngsters today use the internet every day.
Noun
B2
entity
2
young animal, not mature
A young animal that is not fully grown.
Usage pattern:
[a youngster] [stays with its mother]
Synonyms
juvenile (More technical or scientific; often used in biology for young animals.)
|
young (A general term for the offspring of animals; often used in phrases like "the young of the species.")
Antonyms
adult (Describes a fully grown animal, in contrast to a young "youngster.")
|
mature (Emphasizes that the animal has reached full growth and development, opposite of a youngster.)
Collocations
seal youngsters
|lion youngsters
|the youngsters in the herd
|protect the youngsters
|feed the youngsters
Themes
animals
|nature
|biology
Examples
- The lionesses stayed close to the youngsters while they learned to hunt.
- Penguin youngsters huddle together to keep warm in the winter winds.
- The mother bear was very protective of her youngsters near the river.
- Wildlife rangers asked visitors not to touch the seal youngsters on the beach.
- In the spring, the herd moves slowly to allow the youngsters to keep up.
Learner examples
- The bird feeds its youngsters in the nest.
- The mother cow walks slowly so her youngsters can follow.
- Do not go near the bear youngsters in the forest.
- The zoo keeps the youngsters with their parents.
- The duck youngsters swim behind their mother.
Grammar
Dictionary form
youngster
IPA
GB/jˈʌŋstɚ/
US/jˈʌŋstɚ/
Syllables & stress
young - ster (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (young)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: youngster
- Plural: youngsters
Word family
Expressions
as a youngster
1/ˈæz ə jˈʌŋstɚ/
fixed phrase
when someone was young
When someone was a child or young person in the past.
Examples
- As a youngster, I spent every summer at my grandparents' farm.
- She learned to play the piano as a youngster and never stopped.
- He was very shy as a youngster but became more confident at university.