growing pains

See synonyms for growing pains on Thesaurus.com

plural noun

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

difficulties attending any new project or any rapid development of an existing project: a city plagued with growing pains.

Origin of growing pains

First recorded in 1800–10

Words Nearby growing pains

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use growing pains in a sentence

This situation is emblematic of the growing pains Twitch has experienced as its user base widens.
Hot tubs and hardcore gamers: How Twitch is trying to stay brand-friendly as it expands beyond gaming | Alexander Lee | August 26, 2021 | Digiday
However, the trend may be not only a signal that there’s a retirement age for esports athletes, like with traditional athletes, but also a sign that esports has reached its growing pains phase.
Future of TV Briefing: What Discovery-WarnerMedia signals about the streaming wars | Tim Peterson | May 19, 2021 | Digiday
The free, ad-supported streaming TV market has reached its growing pains phase.
‘Fragmentation is a pain in the ass’: Proliferation of free, ad-supported streaming services causing headaches for media companies | Tim Peterson | July 31, 2020 | Digiday
I think the news industry is going through digital growing pains and will come out the other side stronger and better.
Saving Us From Ourselves: The Anti-Clickbait Movement | Emily Shire | July 14, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
That said, movement leaders are braced for further growing pains.
With Incumbents To Protect, The Tea Party Is Now Playing Defense | Michelle Cottle | March 20, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST

But I have a hunch that Sullivan will survive the growing pains and emerge as one of the leading blues stars of his generation.
Do Blues Musicians Need to be Really, Really Old? | Ted Gioia | September 22, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST
Maybe her "hollywood makeover" is having some growing pains.
Sarah Palin's Wore '80s Hair on Fox; Snooki Is Trying To Sell You Nail Poilsh | The Fashion Beast Team | November 7, 2012 | THE DAILY BEAST
The response included denouncements from his growing pains costars Tracey Gold and Alan Thicke.
Kirk Cameron’s Controversies, ‘Growing Pains’ to Values Voter Summit | Kevin Fallon | September 14, 2012 | THE DAILY BEAST
The ways of teachers like rainy days and growing pains belong to the inexplicable and inevitable.
Emmy Lou | George Madden Martin
His mind suffered growing-pains, as young minds of any intellectual and poetic worth needs must.
The History of Sir Richard Calmady | Lucas Malet
In the long years of its growth and success the Senate Hotel had known the usual growing pains.
Cheerful--By Request | Edna Ferber
Another boat comes in to be lengthened: it has growing-pains, and wants assistance.
Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science | Various
It must be easier to talk to such a one about Matilda's stomach, and the growing pains in Fanny's legs, than to a young bachelor.
Doctor Thorne | Anthony Trollope

British Dictionary definitions for growing pains

growing pains

pl n

pains in muscles or joints sometimes experienced by children during a period of unusually rapid growth
difficulties besetting a new enterprise in its early stages

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with growing pains

growing pains

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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