precocious

adjective

pri-ˈkō-shəs How to pronounce precocious (audio)
Definition of precociousnext
as in early
occurring before the usual or expected time a precocious baldness makes him look older than he really is

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 precocious The precocious 25-year-old became a workout pal with James post-Covid 19 pandemic, the two bonding on their insatiable desire to do the work. — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 28 Sep. 2026 In the hit 1996 film, Lipnicki played Ray, the exceptionally precocious son of Renée Zellweger’s Dorothy, a single mom and Cruise’s love interest. — Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Sep. 2026 Navigating the rocky road from precocious kid-commercial actor to an adult movie star isn’t easy, but Gisondo possesses a maturity and gravitas that belies his youthful appearance. — Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 24 Sep. 2026 There have been instances before of Kostoulas’ precocious talent. — Andy Naylor, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for precocious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for precocious
  1. early
  2. premature
  3. unexpected
  4. sudden
  5. untimely
Adjective
  • Precision packed into 33 pounds The satellites use the NEMO spacecraft platform, which has supported 11 earlier GHGSat missions.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 Oct. 2026
  • And the latest archaeoacoustic techniques show that even the world’s earliest architects understood this.
    — Jacqueline Ortoleva, Scientific American, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of early
Adjective
  • Machchhar also described an onboard emergency when a pregnant woman went into premature labor, forcing the crew to divert the plane.
    — Sheikh Saaliq, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Ashley Randolph Ashley Randolph transformed personal struggles into hope and support for Black families navigating premature births.
    — The Sacramento Bee staff, Sacbee.com, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of premature
Adjective
  • Stubborn inflation, blowback from White House trade policies, and a formidable Democratic challenger in megachurch pastor Adam Hamilton have combined to turn ruby-red Kansas into an unexpected Senate battleground.
    — Luke Fountain, CNBC, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Mandatory statewide caps on property taxes would tie the hands of local governments to deal with the rapid growth and address unexpected emergencies.
    — Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of unexpected
Adjective
  • There’s a fascinating synchronicity between the current real-world anxiety and the film industry’s sudden interest in dense studies of the tech world’s dark underbelly.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Other symptoms include sudden high fever and chills, headaches, and pain in the abdomen, legs and arms, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of sudden
Adjective
  • A lot has happened since Garnet Hills started business, including the untimely death of the founder couple in a 1985 plane crash and the sale of the family business to live shopping company QVC Group in 2017.
    — Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Quavo sat down with Complex’s Idea Generation and talked about how Takeoff’s untimely death helped mend his fractured relationship with their childhood friend and fellow Migos groupmate.
    — Angel Diaz, Billboard, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of untimely

Browse Nearby Words

precocial
precocious
precociously
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Cite this Entry

“Precocious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/precocious. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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