terrible twos

American  

[ter-uh-buhl tooz] / ˈtɛr ə bəl ˈtuz /

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!”

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Etymology

Origin of terrible twos

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

terrible twos

According to Long, the pup was in a stage akin to the terrible twos.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 11, 2024

On her third birthday, she overheard my husband saying to me that the year of the terrible twos was finally coming to an end.

From Washington Post ● Apr. 13, 2023

"She is growing up, turning into a little girl, hitting the terrible twos," her father Terry says with a laugh.

From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2022

The terrible twos, in my opinion, have nothing on the experience of having “threenagers.”

From Slate ● May 20, 2019

One could find few pictures of my sister Tiffany, but Melina had entire albums devoted to her terrible twos.

From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris