48 Idioms for Young
1. Spring chicken
Meaning: A young person; often used in negative (“no spring chicken”).
Example: At 90, Grandma is no spring chicken, but she still dances.
Alternatives: Youngster, fledgling, whippersnapper.
2. Wet behind the ears
Meaning: Inexperienced because of youth.
Example: The new grad is still wet behind the ears.
Alternatives: Green, raw, naive.
3. Green
Meaning: Young and lacking experience.
Example: The recruits are pretty green.
Alternatives: Novice, immature, untrained.
4. Fledgling
Meaning: Young person just starting out.
Example: A fledgling journalist wrote the piece.
Alternatives: Beginner, newbie, neophyte.
5. Newbie
Meaning: Informal young beginner.
Example: The newbie quickly learned the ropes.
Alternatives: Rookie, newcomer, greenhorn.
6. Rookie
Meaning: Young first-year player or worker.
Example: The rookie scored on debut.
Alternatives: Novice, freshman, beginner.
7. Greenhorn
Meaning: Inexperienced youth, orig. young cattle hand.
Example: The greenhorn forgot to latch the gate.
Alternatives: Tenderfoot, rookie, newbie.
8. Tenderfoot
Meaning: Young, inexperienced person (Old West).
Example: A tenderfoot needs boots broken in.
Alternatives: Greenhorn, rookie, newbie.
9. Whippersnapper
Meaning: Curious or over-confident youngster.
Example: Calm down, whippersnapper!
Alternatives: Youngster, upstart, spring chicken.
10. Youngster
Meaning: Friendly term for a young person.
Example: The camp is full of energetic youngsters.
Alternatives: Kid, child, juvenile.
11. Juvenile
Meaning: Legal/formal term for youth.
Example: The court classified him as a juvenile.
Alternatives: Minor, youth, adolescent.
12. Minor
Meaning: Person under legal adult age.
Example: A minor cannot sign alone.
Alternatives: Juvenile, youth, teen.
13. Adolescent
Meaning: Teenager undergoing change.
Example: Adolescent moods swing quickly.
Alternatives: Teen, youth, youngster.
14. Teen
Meaning: Person aged 13-19.
Example: The app targets teens.
Alternatives: Teenager, adolescent, youth.
15. Teenybopper
Meaning: Young teen into pop fads.
Example: Teenyboppers filled the concert hall.
Alternatives: Young teen, pop fan, youngster.
16. Schoolkid
Meaning: Child in primary or secondary school.
Example: Schoolkids lined up for the bus.
Alternatives: Pupil, student, youngster.
17. Pupil
Meaning: Young student under teacher supervision.
Example: The pupil raised her hand.
Alternatives: Student, schoolchild, learner.
18. Student
Meaning: Youth attending an educational institution.
Example: A medical student studies hard.
Alternatives: Pupil, learner, scholar.
19. Freshman
Meaning: First-year student.
Example: The freshman carried a campus map.
Alternatives: First-year, rookie, newbie.
20. Sophomore
Meaning: Second-year student.
Example: The sophomore class organized the event.
Alternatives: Second-year student, junior (next).
21. Junior
Meaning: Third-year student; also young athlete or family name suffix.
Example: The junior prom is next week.
Alternatives: Third-year, youth, minor.
22. Senior
Meaning: Final-year student about to graduate.
Example: Seniors painted the rock.
Alternatives: Final-year student, grad, elder.
23. Grad
Meaning: Short for graduate; recent young alum.
Example: The new grad starts Monday.
Alternatives: Graduate, alum, former student.
24. Alum
Meaning: Informal graduate still young in career.
Example: The Harvard alum launched a startup.
Alternatives: Graduate, alumna/alumnus, former student.
25. Upstart
Meaning: Young, ambitious person seen as presumptuous.
Example: The board dismissed the upstart’s idea.
Alternatives: Whippersnapper, newcomer, novice.
26. Progeny
Meaning: Formal: offspring or young descendants.
Example: The scientist encouraged her progeny to explore.
Alternatives: Offspring, children, issue.
27. Offspring
Meaning: Person’s child or children; collective young.
Example: The panda’s offspring delighted visitors.
Alternatives: Progeny, young, descendants.
28. Issue (archaic/legal)
Meaning: Formal: descendants or heirs.
Example: The estate passed to the royal issue.
Alternatives: Offspring, progeny, heirs.
29. Child
Meaning: Young boy or girl.
Example: Every child deserves education.
Alternatives: Kid, youngster, minor.
30. Kid
Meaning: Informal child or young person.
Example: The kid laughed loudly.
Alternatives: Child, youngster, tot.
31. Tot
Meaning: Very young child.
Example: Tots played in the sandbox.
Alternatives: Toddler, small child, youngster.
32. Toddler
Meaning: Child just learning to walk (1-3 yrs).
Example: The toddler wobbled across the room.
Alternatives: Tot, baby, young child.
33. Baby
Meaning: Very young child; infant.
Example: The baby slept peacefully.
Alternatives: Infant, newborn, babe.
34. Infant
Meaning: Child in first year of life.
Example: The infant smiled at her mom.
Alternatives: Baby, newborn, babe.
35. Newborn
Meaning: Recently born baby.
Example: Newborns need frequent feeding.
Alternatives: Neonate, infant, baby.
36. Neonate
Meaning: Medical term for baby under 4 weeks.
Example: The neonate was healthy.
Alternatives: Newborn, infant, baby.
37. Babe
Meaning: Poetic/older word for baby; also term of endearment for young person.
Example: “Sleep, gentle babe,” sang the nurse.
Alternatives: Baby, infant, child.
38. Babe in arms
Meaning: Very young baby still being carried.
Example: She joined the protest with a babe in arms.
Alternatives: Infant, newborn, tiny baby.
39. Sprog (UK informal)
Meaning: Young child; sometimes humorous.
Example: Their little sprog started school today.
Alternatives: Kid, youngster, child.
40. Nipper (UK informal)
Meaning: Small lively child.
Example: The nippers played football after class.
Alternatives: Kid, youngster, sprog.
41. Moppet (affectionate)
Meaning: Endearing term for a small child.
Example: The little moppet waved at us.
Alternatives: Darling child, tot, kid.
42. Scamp (playful)
Meaning: Mischievous but lovable young child.
Example: The scamp hid Grandpa’s slippers.
Alternatives: Rascal, imp, little devil.
43. Rascal
Meaning: Playfully misbehaving young person.
Example: The rascal swapped the salt and sugar.
Alternatives: Scamp, imp, rogue.
44. Imp
Meaning: Small mischievous child.
Example: The imp drew on the wall with crayons.
Alternatives: Rascal, scamp, little devil.
45. Little devil (playful)
Meaning: Affectionate term for a naughty young child.
Example: The little devil ate all the cookies.
Alternatives: Rascal, imp, scamp.
46. Cherub
Meaning: Innocent, sweet-faced young child.
Example: The sleeping cherub looked angelic.
Alternatives: Angel, sweet child, babe.
47. Angel
Meaning: Well-behaved sweet young child.
Example: The little angel shared her toys.
Alternatives: Cherub, darling, sweet child.
48. Little angel
Meaning: Affectionate praise for a well-behaved young child.
Example: Thanks for helping, you little angel!
Alternatives: Angel, cherub, darling.
Exercise to Practice – Young Idioms Quiz
Sources
- Cambridge Dictionary – Cambridge Idioms
- Merriam-Webster – MW Idioms
- Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries – Oxford Idioms
- IdiomExplorer corpus – IdiomExplorer