Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

adult in the room

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: 4.70 in modern English

Syllables: adult in the -room
IPA

20

Scrabble Score

14

Letters

2

Syllables

12

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

Someone, especially a senior member of staff, who counteracts impulsive or reckless behavior.

Example Sentences

"“Keep in mind, these guys were the adults in the room in the first Trump administration keeping Trump from going full dictator,” said [Michael] Kosta. “And they’re not going to be there the second time around.[…]”"
"China Is the Adult in the Room on Climate Now [title]"
"Since Donald Trump’s first term, they have been viewed comfortingly as the “adults in the room,” a last line of defense against the impulsive whims of a president with access to the nuclear codes."

Inflected Forms

adults in the room (plural)

Questions

What does adult in the room mean?: Someone, especially a senior member of staff, who counteracts impulsive or reckless behavior.

How to pronounce adult in the room

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “adult in the room”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “adult in the room”.
Repeat and practice — Say “adult in the room” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.