past maturity

USAGE SUMMARY

"past maturity" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it to refer to something that has reached or exceeded its intended duration, such as a loan that has gone past its maturity date. For example: "The loan was past maturity, but the bank allowed them to continue making payments on it."

✓ Grammatically correct

Academia

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

Many of the entries in that planting are now past maturity.

Cornell University

As the grapes hang on the vine past maturity, gradually shriveling, their richness, their sugars and their structure-building acidity are intensified.

The New York Times - Food

Fossils of temnospondyls like Metoposaurus and Cheliderpeton show that individuals grew larger past maturity.

Wikipedia

No member of the animal kingdom nurses past maturity No member of the animal kingdom ever did a thing to me It's why I don't eat red meat or white fish Don't give me no blue cheese We're all members of the animal kingdom Leave your brothers and sisters in the sea.

Huffington Post

Recently, Grandin (1987) reported that the Maasai no longer keep male animals long past maturity for bleeding; they now sell them to obtain cash to purchase household needs and production inputs.

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Of course, any radishes that you accidentally leave in the ground past maturity can be kept in the ground and used for seeds.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

Heads that are malformed or becoming loose because they are past optimal maturity should be skipped.

Cornell University

Fund companies noted that their equity holdings were stated in prospectuses and said some risk was necessary to keep fund returns steady for retirees — many of whom would hold the fund past the maturity date.

The New York Times

Since the market crash, some lenders have engaged in a game of "extend and pretend" with troubled developers, where they extend their loan agreements past the maturity dates to keep them from defaulting in the hope that the economy will improve and the loans will be repaid.

The New York Times

"It is our hope and belief that the peoples of an ancient and unique geography, who share similar customs and manners, will be able to talk to each other about the past with maturity and to remember together their losses in a decent manner.

The Guardian

Most fundamental studies in cartilage tissue engineering investigate the ability of chondrocytes from young animals to produce cartilaginous matrix under various conditions, while current clinical applications such as autologous chondrocyte implantation, use chondrocytes from donors that are decades past skeletal maturity.

Journal of Orthopaedic Research

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing biological processes, consider using "past maturity" to indicate a phase where growth or development has ceased, and potential degradation may occur. For inanimate objects like financial assets, "past maturity" indicates the expiration of the agreed-upon term.

Common error

Avoid using "past maturity" when simply referring to something getting older. Use it specifically when something has exceeded its expected or optimal lifespan/term. For example, instead of saying "The building is past maturity", consider using "The building is old" or "The building requires renovation" if you just want to describe its age.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "past maturity" functions as an adjectival modifier describing a noun, indicating that the subject has surpassed a state of full development or expected duration. Ludwig AI affirms its correctness, showcasing examples from diverse domains.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

26%

Academia

14%

Wiki

14%

Less common in

Science

29%

Formal & Business

10%

Encyclopedias

7%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "past maturity" is a grammatically sound phrase used to describe something that has exceeded its optimal stage of development or agreed duration. Ludwig AI validates this, offering a range of examples from diverse fields like biology, finance, and general development. The phrase enjoys widespread application, particularly in News & Media, Academia, Science and Wiki as top contexts and a neutral register. When using "past maturity", ensure it accurately conveys that something has surpassed its expected lifespan or term, rather than simply indicating age. By understanding its nuances and considering context, you can effectively incorporate "past maturity" into your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

beyond maturity

This alternative directly replaces "past" with "beyond", emphasizing exceeding a point.

post-maturity

This alternative uses "post-" as a prefix, indicating a time after maturity.

after maturity

This alternative uses "after" to specify something happening in a time after maturity.

exceeding maturity

This alternative describes surpassing a certain point of maturity.

overripe

This single-word substitute applies primarily to fruits or crops, denoting a state beyond ripeness.

past its prime

This alternative is a more common idiom for being past the best or most vigorous stage.

beyond prime

This alternative suggests a state of being past the best or most productive stage.

advanced maturity

This alternative denotes progress further into the state of maturity.

late maturity

This alternative specifies something happening later during the time of maturity.

fully mature

This alternative describes the state of being fully developed, often implying the end of a growth phase.

FAQs

How can I use "past maturity" in a sentence?

You can use "past maturity" to describe a state beyond full development or the expected time frame, such as in the context of crops that are "overripe" or a loan that has "past due".

What's the difference between "past maturity" and "beyond maturity"?

While both phrases are similar, "past maturity" implies a point in time after full development, whereas "beyond maturity" suggests exceeding a certain level or expectation of development.

Which contexts are most suitable for using the phrase "past maturity"?

The phrase "past maturity" is most suitable in contexts where you want to emphasize that something has exceeded its intended duration or optimal state, particularly in biological, financial, or developmental contexts. Use other phrases if you are not intending such emphasis, for example the word "older".

Can "past maturity" be used to describe emotional or intellectual development?

While less common, "past maturity" could theoretically be used metaphorically to describe someone whose emotional or intellectual development has stagnated or declined, implying a state "beyond their prime". However, in these contexts consider words like "stagnated", "jaded" or similar, which are more common.