girl next door

American

[gurl nekst dawr] / ˈgɜrl ˌnɛkst ˈdɔr /

noun

a girl or woman who exemplifies traditional or old-fashioned norms of behavior, gender, and beauty, and is generally considered to be pleasant, unassuming, familiar, and uncontroversial (often used attributively).

People still think of me as that goody-goody girl next door.
The actresses, with their girl next door image, make audiences swoon with their big smiles and friendly eyes.

Etymology

Origin of girl next door

First recorded in 1920–25

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.

Her creator wanted a realistic girl next door, an English rose.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 6, 2025

Matt is ambitious, determined to be grown up and hopelessly in love with the girl next door.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 1, 2024

Jennifer Aniston is one of those celebrities who has remained a constant cultural figure in entertainment through her decades-long career as a '90s girl next door.

From Salon • Aug. 23, 2023

It soon became obvious that the glammed-up girl next door can still push emotional buttons few other pop stars can reach.

From BBC • Jul. 1, 2022

“Is that what it was in the girl next door? I've tried so hard to figure.”

From "Fahrenheit 451" by Ray Bradbury

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023