noun · neutral

adulthood

UK/ˈædʌlthʊd/US/əˈdʌlthʊd/AD·ult·hood

Band 5-6speakingtask2

the state of being an adult

Examples

Responsibility increases a lot in adulthood.

Many people experience big changes when entering adulthood.

Adulthood doesn't automatically mean independence.

Band 8 sentence

Many of the pressures people face are rooted in the responsibilities that accompany adulthood rather than in age alone.

Collocations

  • enter adulthood
  • responsibilities of adulthood
  • reach adulthood

Word family

adult noun/adjectiveadulthood noun

Common mistakes

in adulthood I wasin adulthood, I was

adults lifeadult life

Say it for a higher band

5when you are an adult6adult life7+adulthood

Synonyms

maturity

Easily confused

maturity

Emotional maturity does not always coincide with legal adulthood.

Related words

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In -hood

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