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View synonyms for

childish

[chahyl-dish]

adjective

  1. of, like, or befitting a child.

    childish games.

  2. puerile; weak; silly.

    childish fears.



childish

/ ˈʃɪɪʃ /

adjective

  1. in the manner of, belonging to, or suitable to a child

  2. foolish or petty; puerile

    childish fears

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other Word Forms

  • childishly adverb
  • childishness noun
  • overchildish adjective
  • overchildishly adverb
  • overchildishness noun
  • unchildish adjective
  • unchildishly adverb
  • unchildishness noun
  • ˈ󾱱徱 adverb
  • ˈ󾱱徱Ա noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of childish1

First recorded before 1000; Middle English childisch, Old English cildisc; child + -ish 1
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Synonym Study

Childish, infantile, childlike refer to characteristics or qualities of childhood. The ending -ish often has unfavorable connotations; childish therefore refers to characteristics that are undesirable and unpleasant: childish selfishness, outbursts of temper. Infantile, originally a general word, now often carries an even stronger idea of disapproval or scorn than does childish: infantile reasoning, behavior. The ending -like has pleasing or neutral connotations; childlike therefore refers to the characteristics that are desirable and admirable: childlike innocence, trust.
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Max Verstappen said Formula 1 was "annoying" and that questions about him racing under the threat of a race ban were "childish".

From

The American people need to give up childish things and do the necessary hard work if they are to have any chance of saving their democracy from Trumpism and the larger right-wing antidemocracy revolutionary project.

From

Obviously that was a childish delusion, but Trump has clung to it through thick and thin, even fantasizing that they had a special bond.

From

Shah said the council needed to move on from the "distraction" of "childish games" and "identity politics".

From

The kind that already had opportunities to make emotional or childish mistakes on the court or perhaps in a social media post and learned from them.

From

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