age-appropriate

IPA/ˌeɪdʒ.əˈprəʊ.pri.ət/
IPA/ˌeɪdʒ.əˈproʊ.pri.ət/

age-appropriate — adjective

1. describes material, activities, advice, or behaviour that fits what people in a

1.形容詞B2
釋義

describes material, activities, advice, or behaviour that fits what people in a certain age group can understand, handle, or are expected to do.

例句

The museum offers age-appropriate science kits for children aged six to eight.

attributive: age-appropriate + noun

Ari checked whether the video game was age-appropriate for twelve-year-olds.

predicative: be age-appropriate for + age group

同義詞
  • suitable

    broader and less specific; it does not automatically refer to a person's age

  • appropriate

    general term for what is acceptable or suitable; age-appropriate narrows the reason to age

  • child-friendly

    focuses on being easy or pleasant for children, not on matching an exact age band

反義詞
  • inappropriate

    too general; it can mean socially wrong as well as unsuitable for age

  • adult

    often used for content meant for adults rather than children

文法句型

age-appropriate + noun

be age-appropriate + for + age group

make something more age-appropriate

用法筆記

Usually used for books, games, lessons, advice, media, or behaviour. It often appears with 'for' plus an age group when the speaker wants to name exactly who the content suits.

常見錯誤

❌This game is appropriate age for eight-year-olds.
✅This game is age-appropriate for eight-year-olds.
💡Use the compound adjective when you mean 'suitable for that age group'.
❌The jokes are childish for my son.
✅The jokes are age-appropriate for my son.
💡'Childish' means immature, while 'age-appropriate' means suitable for that age.

2. at an age that others see as right for a particular group, activity, or relation

2.形容詞B2
釋義

at an age that others see as right for a particular group, activity, or relationship.

例句

Maeve felt the children were finally age-appropriate for the overnight camp.

predicative: be age-appropriate for + activity

Some parents wait until a child is age-appropriate for a smartphone.

同義詞
  • old enough

    focuses on reaching a minimum age, while age-appropriate can also mean a socially suitable age range

  • of the right age

    close in meaning but more neutral and usually less idiomatic in fast speech

  • suitably aged

    formal and uncommon outside careful writing

反義詞
  • too young

    below the expected age range for the situation

  • too old

    above the expected age range for the situation

文法句型

be age-appropriate + for + group or activity

be more age-appropriate

用法筆記

Often used after a linking verb when people judge whether someone belongs in an expected age band. It commonly appears in social or practical decisions about teams, groups, devices, camps, or relationships.

常見錯誤

❌He is appropriate age to join the team.
✅He is age-appropriate for the team.
💡This compound adjective means the person's age fits the situation; 'appropriate age' needs a different sentence structure.
❌The child is mature enough for the junior group.
✅The child is age-appropriate for the junior group.
💡'Mature enough' describes behaviour, while this sense is about the expected age range.