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:
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
After spending seven weeks playing a teenager who is desperate to be their own person, Ramsey's advice for young people struggling to fit in is straightforward.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
While not the medal Hodgkinson had hoped for, silver represented the 24-year-old's 12th senior international medal since she claimed her first as a teenager at the European Indoor Championships five years ago.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
The teenager impressed at this summer's World Cup after a starring role in Lille's Champions League victory over Real Madrid in 2024 announced him on the big stage.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
When Theo was a teenager, he got a job at the local five-and-dime store.
From "I Can Make This Promise" by Christine Day
The findings may be particularly important for children and teenagers.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 15, 2026
As they were still teenagers, they were better able to squeeze through narrow spaces, crawling between concrete slabs lit only by a handheld torch or mobile phone so they could tell rescuers where to dig.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 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
The firm subcontracted with another company for a social-media influencer campaign, targeting audiences between 12 and 18 as well as parents of teenagers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026
Abel waited for a group of teenagers to leave, then slipped in.
From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin
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.
