ENGLISH
REFERENCE

underage

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈəndɝɪdʒ// UK //ˌʌndəɹˈeɪdʒ// un·der·age

adj. describing someone who is too young to legally do something, like drinking alcohol or voting. It usually means the person is younger than 18 or 21.

adj. relating to a person who has not yet reached the legal age for a specific activity or responsibility. Typically used attributively before a noun.


SIMPLE

The shop was fined for selling alcohol to underage customers.

CONTEXTUAL

The coach was careful to check IDs to ensure no underage players were participating in the senior tournament.

COMPLEX

Legislators are debating stricter penalties for social media platforms that fail to prevent underage users from accessing restricted content without parental consent.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Etymology 1

From under- + age.

Etymology 2

From under + -age.

Usage

Primarily used attributively before a noun; less common in predicative positions.

Pitfall

he is underagedhe is underageLearners often add an '-ed' suffix by analogy with other adjectives, but 'underage' is the standard form.

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