teenager
Americannoun
-
teenagers
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of teenager
Explanation
If you're younger than 20 but older than 12, congratulations! You're a teenager! Teenagers are also known as teens or adolescents. Generally, teenagers have finished elementary school, are growing fairly quickly, and are in the last stage of development before they become official adults. As a teenager, the things you may do include graduating from high school, getting a driver's license, and working at a paid job. Before teenager was coined in the 1920s, the word was teener.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
"I kind of wish that I had made the most of being a teenager and getting away with things and being a bit rebellious."
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
Knowings joined Nickelodeon’s sketch show for kids and teens, “All That,” in 1997 when she was a teenager trying to break into the business.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2026
Bella Ramsey spent many teenage years working with adults so never really went through the moody, rebellious phase often associated with being a teenager.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
A teenager already progressing through an English academy presents no equivalent immigration obstacle.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
Then there was Anastasia, chortling like a teenager when Dad had flowers delivered to the house—“Just because I love you,” the card said.
From "Blended" by Sharon M. Draper
A smile is missing, which comes as no surprise because he’s being asked to talk about a tragedy that few teenagers could overcome, let alone discuss.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026
The findings may be particularly important for children and teenagers.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 15, 2026
Austin is one of those rare teenagers who looks and acts like someone destined to reach the highest level possible because of his physical gifts and mental outlook.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
South Wales Police officers were told in June the teenagers had been arrested, and launched an investigation into the "circumstances" behind their trip.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
A group of teenagers swarms the My Crush Wants to Go Out with Me counter and don’t leave a single bottle on the shelf.
From "Amari and the Night Brothers" by B.B. Alston
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
