youthful

[ yooth-fuhl ]
See synonyms for youthful on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. characterized by youth; young.

  2. of, relating to, or befitting youth: youthful enthusiasm.

  1. having the appearance, freshness, vigor, etc., of youth: She is 60 but her optimism has kept her youthful.

  2. in an early period of existence; early in time.

  3. Physical Geography. (of topographical features) having undergone erosion to a slight extent only.

Origin of youthful

1
First recorded in 1555–65; youth + -ful

synonym study For youthful

1-3. See young.

Other words from youthful

  • youth·ful·ly, adverb
  • youth·ful·ness, noun
  • pre·youth·ful, adjective
  • un·youth·ful, adjective
  • un·youth·ful·ly, adverb
  • un·youth·ful·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use youthful in a sentence

  • She has a capital bright soul, which even now shines quite youthfully through her faded carcase.'

    Castle Rackrent | Maria Edgeworth
  • In her composure she looked tired, older than Helen and more experienced, but her next words came youthfully enough.

    Moor Fires | E. H. (Emily Hilda) Young
  • The Colonel was no longer in that youthfully tender stage when absence increases affection.

  • Though a year older than Frederick, Franck, small-boned and youthfully slim, seemed to be seven or eight years younger.

    Atlantis | Gerhart Hauptmann
  • The twilight of the room brought back memories of youthfully blissful times.

    Atlantis | Gerhart Hauptmann

British Dictionary definitions for youthful

youthful

/ (ˈjuːθfʊl) /


adjective
  1. of, relating to, possessing, or characteristic of youth

  2. fresh, vigorous, or active: he's surprisingly youthful for his age

  1. in an early stage of development: a youthful culture

  2. Also: young (of a river, valley, or land surface) in the early stage of the cycle of erosion, characterized by steep slopes, lack of flood plains, and V-shaped valleys: Compare mature (def. 6), old (def. 18)

Derived forms of youthful

  • youthfully, adverb
  • youthfulness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012