grow up — stop behaving childishly
phrasal verbB2IELTS 6+neutralcommon
To start acting in a more mature and responsible way, not like a child.
Say it like a native
Textbook You should start behaving in a more mature manner.
Native Oh, just grow up!
As a rebuke, 'grow up!' is what natives actually snap. The formal version is preachy.
Pattern: grow up (and do something)
In use
- It's time for you to grow up and take responsibility for your actions.relationships
- Some people think young adults today should grow up faster and become independent earlier.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ You need to grow up yourself.
✓ You need to grow up.
'Grow up' (act mature) is intransitive — no reflexive object.
Common collocations
grow up— just, oh, a bit, for once
Don't confuse it
This is about behavior, not age or physical growth.
Related
- grow up (become an adult) — Another meaning of 'grow up' is 'become an adult'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.