1.
to become an adult
“I grew up in a small village.”
“Kids grow up so fast!”
“When I grow up, I want to be a vet.”
Synonyms: to become an adult, to be raised
Phrasal verb
What does grow up mean?
Meaning: to become an adult
B1
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Quick answer
Grow up = to become an adult. I grew up in London = I spent my childhood in London. It is different from grow (to get bigger). As an order, Grow up! = stop acting like a small child! It takes no object.
Meanings of the phrasal verb
2.
to spend your childhood somewhere
common“She grew up in London.”
“We grew up together.”
Synonyms: to be brought up, to be raised
3.
to act like an adult (as an order)
idiomatic“Grow up! You're not a kid anymore.”
Synonyms: to act mature, to be serious
Word order
Intransitive (no object)
This phrasal verb does not take an object.
Forms
- Present Simple:
- grow up
- Past Simple:
- grew up
- Past participle:
- grown up
- -ing form:
- growing up
Common mistakes to avoid
Grow is not grow up
Grow = to get bigger (plants, hair, a business). Grow up = to become an adult (people). Plants grow ✓ / Children grow up ✓. Never The tomatoes grew up ❌.
A grown-up = an adult
The past participle (grown) gives a noun: a grown-up = an adult. Ask a grown-up. It is also an adjective: my grown-up daughter. Remember the hyphen: a grown-up ✓.
Practice quiz
Question 1 / 3The Big Challenge question bank
Related pages: grow up
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
What's next?
Grow up: you understand the rule. Now practise it.
Understanding a rule is only the first step. On PLAY, you use it in real situations, at your own pace, until it becomes automatic.
Practise “grow up” on PLAYFree · No sign-up · 3 minutes
For teachersGrow up: a ready-to-use lesson sequence
The Academy gives you step-by-step exercises, answer keys and a tracking dashboard: you keep the teaching, and the tool takes care of the practice and the marking.
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English contestGrow up: often tested in the English contest
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Frequently asked questions
What does grow up mean?+
Grow up = to change from a child into an adult. I grew up in Spain = I was a child in Spain. It is different from grow (to get bigger, for plants or for height).
What is the difference between grow and grow up?+
Grow = to get bigger (plants, hair, a business). Grow up = to become an adult (people). Children grow (they get taller) AND grow up (they become adults).
Is grow up separable?+
No, it takes no direct object. You can add in + a place: grow up in London. It is also used alone as an order: Grow up!
What is the past simple of grow up?+
Grew up. He grew up on a farm. Grow is irregular: grow → grew → grown.
What does grown-up mean?+
A grown-up is an adult (not a child). Ask a grown-up = ask an adult. It is also an adjective: my grown-up children = my children who are now adults.
Related phrasal verbs
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/phrasal-verbs/grow-up
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.