intransitive phrasal verb describing maturation

to discuss childhood experiences or criticize childish behavior

narratives about past upbringing, reminiscing youth, expressing frustration with immaturity

everyday conversation, informal settings

grow up

grow up

a small town, the 1990s, becoming a professional

• when I was growing up
• want to grow up to become

• mature
• become an adult

using passive voice with 'I grew up'; misinterpreting as transitive meaning 'to raise' (e.g., incorrectly saying *He grew me up* instead of *He raised me*)

bring up (raise children), mature

Learners may incorrectly treat 'grow up' as transitive (e.g., *grow someone up*) or use the past participle as a standalone verb (*I grew up* without context). Keep it fixed and intransitive.

• grown-up (noun/adjective)

'Oh, grow up!' can be an impatient admonition indicating a desire for adult behavior rather than literal aging.

conveys nostalgia for one’s own upbringing while expressing irritation with perceived immaturity in others; may signal authority or parental expectations.

grow up

This phrasal verb is exclusively intransitive in English. It is not used to describe the action of raising children (use 'raise' or 'bring up' instead). The literal meaning of aging is often softened to criticize immature behavior.

grow up overnight