adolescency

adolescency

A young person experiences the joys and challenges of adolescency.

Definition
  1. Noun
    • The period of life between childhood and adulthood: "adolescency" refers to the state or time of being an adolescent, typically characterized by physical, psychological, and social changes leading to maturity.
    • Adolescence: It is a less common variant of "adolescence," used to denote the transitional stage of development from puberty to legal adulthood.
Usage Examples
  • (The period of adolescence, with its typical struggles.)
  • (The stage of life between childhood and adulthood.)
Advanced Usage

  • "the awkwardness of adolescency": a common phrase referring to the social and physical clumsiness often experienced during this stage.

    • She looked back on the awkwardness of her adolescency with a mix of embarrassment and nostalgia. (The clumsy, self-conscious period of teenage years.)

  • "to be in the throes of adolescency": to be actively experiencing the difficulties or intensity of adolescence.

    • He is in the throes of adolescency, struggling with mood swings and peer pressure. (Deeply engaged in the adolescent experience.)
Variants and Related Words

  • Adolescence (n): the more common spelling for the same period of life.

    • Adolescence is a critical time for brain development. (The same stage as adolescency.)

  • Adolescent (n/adj): a person in the stage of adolescence; relating to that stage.

    • The adolescent felt misunderstood by adults. (A young person in the teenage years.)

  • Adolescently (adv): in a manner typical of an adolescent.

    • He behaved adolescently, sulking over minor disappointments. (In a childish or teenage manner.)
Synonyms
  • Youth: the early period of life, especially before adulthood.
  • Teenage years: the specific years from 13 to 19.
  • Puberty: the biological process of sexual maturation, often associated with the start of adolescence.
Related Idioms

  • The awkward age: a colloquial term for the adolescent period, especially when characterized by self-consciousness.

    • She was going through the awkward age, where nothing seemed to fit. (The difficult, transitional phase of adolescence.)

  • Growing pains: both literal aches and metaphorical difficulties associated with adolescent development.

    • The family experienced growing pains as their children entered adolescency. (Challenges related to the transition to adulthood.)