WordLens

grow up

1 of 2verb
/ˈɡroʊ ˈʌp/
Forms:grows up,growing up,grew up,grown up
1

to change from being a child into an adult little by little

A2
  • Many children dream of what they want to be when they grow up.
  • My sister is growing up so fast.
  • She grew up with her cousins in the same house.
  • She plans to move to the city where she grew up.
  • When I grow up, I want to be a musician.
2

to increase or develop over time, usually referring to something abstract like an idea or concept

  • The idea for the new technology grew up over several years of research.
  • A thriving art scene grew up in the city, attracting artists from around the world.
  • The concept for the innovative product grew up after identifying a gap in the market.
  • Over the years, a strong bond grew up between the mentor and the mentee.
  • Through their shared experiences, a genuine love grew up between the couple.
3

to develop a more mature and responsible way of behaving and thinking

  • Experiencing parenthood forced them to grow up and prioritize their child's well-being over their own desires.
  • Why don't you grow up and start taking your responsibilities seriously?
  • It's time you grew up and made more thoughtful decisions.
  • Graduating from college and entering the workforce made him realize it was time to grow up and take on more responsibilities.