yung lo
A1Neutral to formal
Definition
Meaning
Being in an early stage of life, growth, or development; having lived or existed for only a short time.
Used to describe someone with the characteristics of youth (e.g., energy, inexperience, novelty); relating to or suitable for young people; also used figuratively for something new or recently established.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The comparative and superlative forms are 'younger' and 'youngest'. Often implies a relational contrast (younger than someone/something). Can describe people, animals, plants, organizations, or concepts (e.g., a young company, a young idea).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in core meaning or usage. Minor potential differences in collocation frequency (e.g., 'young person' vs 'youth' in formal contexts).
Connotations
Largely identical. Can connote vitality, inexperience, or immaturity depending on context in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally high-frequency in both dialects.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
young + NOUN (young artist)ADV + young (very young)young + PREP + age (young at heart)young + ENOUGH + TO-INF (young enough to learn)the + young (as a collective noun: the young)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “young and restless”
- “young blood”
- “not as young as one used to be”
- “young Turk”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to new companies, startups, or junior employees (e.g., 'young enterprise', 'young talent pipeline').
Academic
Used in developmental studies, sociology, and biology (e.g., 'young learners', 'young galaxy').
Everyday
Commonly describes age of people, pets, and children of friends/family.
Technical
In geology: 'young rock formations'; in computing: 'young generation' in garbage collection.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- N/A - 'young' is not a standard verb.
American English
- N/A - 'young' is not a standard verb.
adverb
British English
- N/A - 'young' is not an adverb. Use 'youthfully'.
American English
- N/A - 'young' is not an adverb. Use 'youthfully'.
adjective
British English
- She has two young children at primary school.
- The company is still quite young in the tech sector.
American English
- He has a young daughter in kindergarten.
- It's a young industry with a lot of potential.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My brother is very young.
- The cat has three young kittens.
- I was young when I moved here.
- Young people often use social media.
- She looks young for her age.
- He became a doctor at a very young age.
- The programme is aimed at young professionals moving to the city.
- Despite being the youngest member of the team, she led the project confidently.
- The theory is still in its young stages and requires further validation.
- He possesses a wisdom that belies his young years.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the word 'yo-YO'. A yo-yo goes up and down, just like a YOUNG person has lots of ups and downs of energy!
Conceptual Metaphor
YOUTH IS A VALUABLE RESOURCE / YOUTH IS INEXPERIENCE.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid using 'young' for 'young man/woman' in overly formal contexts where 'youth' might be expected in Russian. 'Молодой' can sometimes imply 'new' (e.g., молодой картофель) where English would use 'new potatoes', not 'young potatoes'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'young' with non-countable nouns (e.g., 'young information' is wrong). Confusing 'younger' vs 'youngest' in comparisons. Overusing 'young' as a noun ('the youngs' is incorrect; use 'young people' or 'the young').
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is NOT a typical use of 'young'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Young' refers to actual age, while 'youthful' refers to the characteristics of youth (energy, appearance) and can be used for older people (e.g., a youthful 60-year-old).
Yes, but only collectively with 'the' (e.g., 'This music appeals to the young.'). It is not used in the plural ('youngs' is incorrect).
No. The comparative form is 'younger'. Use 'younger' (e.g., 'She is younger than me.') not 'more young'.
The direct opposite in a sibling context is 'eldest' or 'oldest'. More generally, the antonym is 'oldest'.