growing pains

American  

plural noun

1. dull, quasi-rheumatic pains of varying degree in the limbs during childhood and adolescence, often popularly associated with the process of growing.

2. emotional difficulties experienced during adolescence and preadulthood.

3. difficulties attending any new project or any rapid development of an existing project.

   a city plagued with growing pains.

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growing pains British  

plural noun

1. pains in muscles or joints sometimes experienced by children during a period of unusually rapid growth

2. difficulties besetting a new enterprise in its early stages

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growing pains Idioms  

1. Problems that arise in beginning or enlarging an enterprise, as in The company is undergoing growing pains but should be viable by next year. This expression, which dates from the late 1800s, originally referred to the joint and limb aches experienced by youngsters who are growing rapidly. By about 1900 it was being used figuratively.

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Usage

What does growing pains mean? Originally a reference to the physical pains many children experience when going through a growth spurt, growing pains has come to refer to the hardships experienced at the early stages of some endeavor. The term is frequently used to describe the struggles found in transitioning from an adolescent to an adult, from an amateur to a professional, or the creation or expansion of a business. How is growing pains pronounced?[ groh-ing peynz ]

Etymology

Origin of growing pains

First recorded in 1800–10

Example Sentences

In the process, her editorial choices and growing pains as a new TV executive have drawn the ire of many longtime staffers, particularly at “60 Minutes.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 3, 2026

Anything higher isn’t a pilot with growing pains — it’s a system causing harm at scale.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 22, 2026

Fitting James, Doncic and Reaves together came with growing pains, but pairing James and Kennard has felt simple.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 2026

She then started complaining of pain in her leg, which Emma put down to growing pains, so she gave her a bath.

From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026

Arthur said: "After all, Galahad is only a child! He has growing pains, perhaps. I don’t think we ought to judge him unkindly for little faults of social intercourse."

From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White