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!”

---

Etymology

Origin of terrible twos

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

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

Yet few parents survive the terrible twos unscathed by humiliation and opprobrium as they struggle to calm children who are acting out in public.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 19, 2022

"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

These are habits that establish oral care as a routine early on, making kids more compliant when they hit the terrible twos.

From Slate • Jul. 29, 2016

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