noun
Common
teens
teenz
Teens (noun) means the years of a person's life from thirteen to nineteen. Example: “My brother was shy in his teens but loved playing football.”
noun
1
The years of a person's life from thirteen to nineteen.
"My brother was shy in his teens but loved playing football."
"Many people look back on their teens as a confusing time."
"a youngster just out of his teens"
"She started painting in her early teens."
2
The numbers from thirteen to nineteen, or a decade such as the 1910s or 2010s.
"Temperatures were in the teens overnight."
"The number of people at the meeting was in the teens."
How to use teens
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishUsually refers to someone's teenage years, or numbers/temperatures in the range 13-19.
Common pairings
in your teens
early/late teens
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Etymology
From the final syllable shared by the numbers thirteen through nineteen.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for teens
See all rhymes for teens →Frequently asked questions
What does “teens” mean?
The word “teens” means the years of a person's life from thirteen to nineteen. In plain terms, usually refers to someone's teenage years, or numbers/temperatures in the range 13-19.
How do you pronounce “teens”?
“Teens” is pronounced teenz (/tiːnz/ in IPA).
How do you use “teens” in a sentence?
Here is “teens” used in a sentence: “She started painting in her early teens.”
What part of speech is “teens”?
“Teens” is a noun.
Is “teens” a common word?
“Teens” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “teens” have?
“Teens” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the years of a person's life from thirteen to nineteen.
What is the difference between "teens" and "teenagers"?
"Teens" can mean both the years from thirteen to nineteen ("in her teens") and, informally, teenagers themselves. "Teenagers" refers only to the young people, so "teens" is the broader and more flexible term.
What ages count as the "teens"?
The teens are the years from thirteen to nineteen, the numbers whose English names end in "-teen." A twelve-year-old is therefore a "pre-teen," and someone who has turned twenty is in their twenties, just outside the teens.
Is "teens" always plural?
In the sense of an age range or number range, teens is used in the plural, as in "your teens" or "the mid teens." The singular "teen" is usually an adjective or a short form of "teenager."
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