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# childishly

«childishly» in Mova's school dictionary: **not right for someone's age (said of older children and…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 1 sentence of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

adverb (childishly; more childishly)

### meaning for a pupil

1) In a silly, immature way that is not right for someone's age (said of older children and adults, usually as criticism). [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/childishly/#m1)

2) In a way like a child, simply and innocently (childishly happy). [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/childishly/#m2)

### sense in the lessons

In stories it criticises a grown-up or older child who sulks, stamps or throws a tantrum. Sometimes it is kind, describing simple joy. It tells the reader someone is acting younger than they are. Similar: «immaturely»; opposite «maturely».

### examples

- The two men argued childishly over a parking space. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/childishly/#x1)
- He childishly refused to share the remote. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/childishly/#x2)
- She stamped her foot childishly and stormed off. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/childishly/#x3)
- Grandad laughed childishly at his own joke. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/childishly/#x4)
- Stop behaving so childishly; you're twelve! [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/childishly/#x5)
- They were childishly excited about the snow. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/childishly/#x6)

### note

Adverb from «childish». Trap: «childish» is usually negative (silly, immature), while «childlike» is positive (innocent, full of wonder). «Childlike wonder» is praise; «childish behaviour» is criticism.

### In the corpora

- [Grown-ups sometimes behave childishly; you can love them and still see they got it wrong.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/483-neighbours-who-dont-speak-and-the-friendly-shopkeeper/32/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «childishly» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/childishly/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.