🔤 Definition & Meaning of “Adolescent Infatuation”
Word: Adolescent Infatuation
Pronunciation: /ˌædəˈlesənt ɪnˌfætʃuˈeɪʃən/
Meaning:
Adolescent infatuation refers to an intense but often short-lived romantic or emotional attraction experienced during adolescence (typically between ages 12–18). This type of infatuation is characterized by idealization, strong emotional responses, and sometimes obsessive admiration of another person—often without a deep or mature understanding of love or long-term relationships.
🧠 Grammatical Formation
- Noun Phrase: Adolescent (adjective) + Infatuation (noun)
- Used as a subject or object in a sentence.
Examples:
- His adolescent infatuation made him write love poems every night.
- She laughed at her adolescent infatuation with a pop star.
🔄 Synonyms:
puppy love, teenage crush, young love, first crush, juvenile infatuation, fleeting affection
🚫 Antonyms:
mature love, enduring love, emotional detachment, indifference
🔗 Related Terms:
crush, emotional attachment, romantic feelings, unrequited love, limerence, obsession, attraction
💬 Simple Explanation:
“Adolescent infatuation” is when a teenager feels a strong liking or love for someone, often very quickly. It may not last long, and the feelings are usually based more on fantasy than reality.
🌟 Common Collocations:
- adolescent infatuation with a teacher
- intense adolescent infatuation
- fleeting adolescent infatuation
- signs of adolescent infatuation
- typical adolescent infatuation
🗣️ Idiomatic Usage & Contexts:
- “Puppy love” is a popular idiom describing adolescent infatuation.
- Often used in storytelling, romance, psychology, and youth education.
- Can occur in both heterosexual and LGBTQ+ experiences.
- Sometimes viewed as a natural part of adolescent development.
📚 Sample Sentences:
- Adolescent infatuation can feel overwhelming, even though it often fades with time.
- His adolescent infatuation with his classmate inspired him to join the drama club.
- Parents should understand that adolescent infatuation is a normal emotional phase.
- What seemed like love was actually just adolescent infatuation.
❤️ Relationship to Sexuality
Yes. Adolescent infatuation often overlaps with the development of sexual identity and orientation. While it may not always involve sexual activity, it can include fantasies, attraction, or romantic gestures that reflect a growing awareness of one’s sexuality. It is also a common stage in exploring emotional intimacy and self-expression.