boys

noun

plural of boy
1
as in kids
a male person who has not yet reached adulthood a giggling little boy ran by

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in boyfriends
a male romantic companion their teenaged daughter has a new boy, and she's just crazy about him

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of boys By tightening those subplots, the series focuses more by design on exploring the inner lives of Cathy, Adam and Lee (Hoon Lee) — the Trask’s cook and housekeeper who becomes a second parent of sorts to Charles’ twin boys, Cal and Aron. — Max Gao, Variety, 4 Oct. 2026 My boys dropped tennis after high school and are now in a college band together. — Don Riddell, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2026 There are little kids — boys and girls who are being inspired by our team. — Jon Root Outkick, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2026 Because while the risk of abuse is real, so too is the risk that, without the help of ALPRs, police wouldn’t have been able to rescue those little boys in Richmond. — Rafael A. Mangual, Washington Post, 2 Oct. 2026 The Cornell administration that gave leniency to these boys are at best sympathizers who valued those boys’ lives over Jane Doe’s. — Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 2 Oct. 2026 Cathy leaves her twin boys motherless, but Adam leaves them fatherless. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026 The same definitely cannot be said about her beloved boys from Beantown. — Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 1 Oct. 2026 The social media posts of a mother from the Idaho Followers who lost three boys hint at her grief. — Audrey Dutton, ProPublica, 1 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for boys
  1. kids
  2. boyfriends
  3. teenagers
  4. beaux
  5. lads
  6. youths
Noun
  • In the winter months of 1973, kids were taking flashlights to the pitch-black bus stops in the morning.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The former Panthers running back said youth sports give kids a platform to find belonging and purpose among their peers.
    — Ryan Canfield OutKick, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of kids
Noun
  • The book is set around three years after the events of Heated Rivalry and sees Shane and Ilya as secret boyfriends while both play for Canadian hockey teams.
    — Tiffany Kelly, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The tired, the sick, the hungry, the famous and tons of ex-boyfriends, all regretting their wrongs.
    — Courtney Love, Rolling Stone, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of boyfriends
Noun
  • The widespread use of arrests, tear gas and riot-control weapons against teenagers is fueling defiance and angering some parents and teachers.
    — NICOLAS GARRIGA, Arkansas Online, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The resort lends itself to rest and relaxation, but teenagers could certainly keep themselves busy with the endless activities on offer.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of teenagers
Noun
  • So are their girlfriends and wives, who support their beaus in stadiums and at home.
    — Kate Hogan, PEOPLE, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Despite some very not-so-subtle hints from yours truly, my past beaus have never gifted me a handbag on Valentine’s Day, either.
    — Michelle Baricevic, InStyle, 26 Jan. 2026
Definition of beaux
Noun
  • There's a multitude of Gucci wearers in the world, spanning bratty aristocrats, the new bourgeois, and lads buying outlet merchandise.
    — José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Kyle Walker and even some of the foreign lads were taking the p***.
    — Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of lads
Noun
  • French youths have been demonstrating over poor conditions at school buildings, and analysts expect unrest to intensify after a teenager’s hand was blown off by a riot police sting grenade.
    — Morgan Chalfant, semafor.com, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The group has asked conference leaders to pause the sponsorship and the NCAA to review energy drink marketing to youths in general, citing the deaths of three children including Davis, a 16-year-old from South Carolina.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of youths

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Cite this Entry

“Boys.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/boys. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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