boomerang kid

noun

, Informal.

1. a young adult who returns to live with parents after a period of living away from home.

boomerang kid

noun

1. a young adult who, after having lived on his or her own for a time, returns to live in the parental home, usually due to financial problems caused by unemployment or the high cost of living independently

Word History and Origins

Origin of boomerang kid¹

1985–90; from boomerang, which returns to the thrower

Example Sentences

“It can fill a number of roles that you may never have needed before, like providing a place for your aging parent to live instead of a nursing home, or for your boomerang kid to come back to when they’ve lost their job, or for you to work remotely.”

From New York Times

Her songs, with titles such as “Boomerang,” “Kid in a Candy Store” and “High Top Shoes,” sound juvenile — but then again so are her fans.

From Washington Post

“It’s definitely designed for multi-generational families, whether for the grandparents, a boomerang kid back from school or a visiting relative,” said Kim Ambrose, vice president of marketing at Miller and Smith.

From Washington Post

Kaila McLean never planned to become a “boomerang kid.”

From Seattle Times

We've all heard of the boomerang kid—the 20-something who returns from college to live in their parents' basement—but does that happen in nature?

From National Geographic