Coming of Age Vocabulary

very weak; not substantial

• Tenuous

• Civil

polite and respectful

• Civil

• Contrite

feeling or expressing guilt, regret, or remorse

• Conscious

• Contrite

aware of something or of one’s surroundings

• Conscious

• Defiance

disobedience or resistance to someone else’s wishes

• Defiance

• Contrite

pointless; unable to produce any useful result

• Defiance

• Futile

a system of ranking groups of people one above the other

• Idealism

• Hierarchy

extreme hopefulness or belief in something, especially when it’s unrealistic

• Idealism

• Conscious

lack of worldly experience; lack of guilt or evil intention

• Conscious

• Innocence