Cool MateAdult vs Grown
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Adult
Top 1,000 (very common)A1noun
Grown
Top 2,000 (common)
Most common: Adult
| Adult | Grown | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈædʌlt//əˈdʌlt/"]/🇺🇸 /["/əˈdʌlt//ˈædʌlt/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //ɡrəʊn//🇺🇸 //ɡroʊn// |
| Meaning | A grown-up person. | Become an adult or bigger. |
| Example | Children must be accompanied by an adult. | She has grown into a talented musician. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | A1 | - |
| Part of speech | noun | |
| Collocations | young, single, consenting, education, literacy, population | grown up, grown man, grown children, grown business, grown tree |
| Antonyms | child, teenager | shrunk, diminished, declined |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'adulthood' which refers to the state of being an adult., Incorrectly used as an adjective (e.g., 'adult movie' is appropriate, but not 'adult person'). | Confused with 'growed' as the past tense., Using 'grown' where 'growing' is more appropriate when describing ongoing development., Not recognizing 'grown' can indicate maturity in both people and plants. |
| Usage notes | Use 'adult' when talking about someone who is fully grown and not a child. It's appropriate in everyday conversation and formal contexts, but may not be used when discussing young individuals still in school. | Often used to describe someone who is no longer a child. Can also refer to plants or animals that have reached maturity. |
See it in real clips
Frequently asked questions: Adult vs Grown
What's the difference between Adult and Grown?
Adult: A grown-up person. Grown: Become an adult or bigger.
Which is more common: Adult and Grown?
Adult is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Adult: Children must be accompanied by an adult. Grown: She has grown into a talented musician.
Can I use Adult and Grown interchangeably?
Not always. Adult and Grown are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.