Phrasal verb
grow up
Definition
phrasal verb. To change from a child into an adult. You can also use this to tell someone to stop acting like a child and be more serious.
phrasal verb. To advance from childhood to maturity. The verb is intransitive and functions as a complete predicate without a direct object.
Examples
“My daughter wants to be a doctor when she grows up.”
“Although he grew up in a wealthy family, he preferred to live a simple life in the countryside.”
“The protagonist's struggle to grow up in a war-torn country serves as the central theme of the novel, highlighting the rapid loss of innocence.”
Examples
simple
“My daughter wants to be a doctor when she grows up.”
contextual
“Although he grew up in a wealthy family, he preferred to live a simple life in the countryside.”
complex
“The protagonist's struggle to grow up in a war-torn country serves as the central theme of the novel, highlighting the rapid loss of innocence.”
Usage
This phrase is intransitive, so you cannot use it with an object.
Teaching tip
Distinguish between the intransitive 'grow up' for the child's experience and the transitive 'bring up' or 'raise' for the parent's actions.
Pitfall
She grew up her kids on a farm.
She raised her kids on a farm.
'Grow up' is intransitive and describes the child's development, whereas 'raise' or 'bring up' describes the parent's action.
Phrasal verb
Particles
up
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
grow + up
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
- Level
- A2 · Elementary
- Updated
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