terrible twos

[ ter-uh-buhl tooz ]

plural noun
  1. a developmental phase in some toddlers characterized by temper tantrums, mood swings, defiance, and territorial behaviors: The terrible twos have reduced my kiddo’s vocabulary to two words, “mine” and “no!”

Origin of terrible twos

1
First recorded in 1950–55

Words Nearby terrible twos

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

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