grow up
Britishverb
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to reach maturity; become adult
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to come into existence; develop
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Become an adult, as in Sam wants to be a policeman when he grows up . [First half of 1500s]
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Come into existence, arise, as in Similar social problems grew up in all the big cities . [Late 1500s]
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Become mature or sensible, as in It's time you grew up and faced the facts . This usage may also be in the form of an imperative (as in Don't bite your nails—grow up! ) [Mid-1900s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Carney, an anglophone who grew up in western Canada, notably laboured to improve his French before running for prime minister last year, and his French ability was the subject of some scrutiny.
From BBC
Generation X grew up with Jackson, whose mass audience introduction came by way of roles on “Good Times” and “Fame” in her teens.
From Salon
Goldhaber describes himself as someone who grew up on the internet.
From Los Angeles Times
Sankararaman plans to expand Make Great Plays to schools in Los Angeles County and rural India, where his parents grew up.
From Los Angeles Times
Furrer left the road in wet conditions, on a course close to where she grew up, and crashed into a wooded area.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
