noun
Very common
years
yeerz
Years (noun) means a very long stretch of time (informal, used loosely). Example: “It felt like years since they had last spoken.”
noun
1
A very long stretch of time (informal, used loosely).
"It took years for the bus to come."
"It felt like years since they had last spoken."
"That queue lasted years, and my feet were aching by the end."
"We've been stuck in this traffic for years, and I'm starving!"
How to use years
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishUsed loosely to mean "a very long time," beyond its literal sense as the plural of "year."
Common pairings
for years
years ago
it's been years
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like years.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
It felt like _____ since they had last spoken.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for years
See all rhymes for years →Frequently asked questions
What does “years” mean?
The word “years” means a very long stretch of time (informal, used loosely). In plain terms, used loosely to mean "a very long time," beyond its literal sense as the plural of "year.".
How do you pronounce “years”?
“Years” is pronounced yeerz (/jɪɹz/ in IPA).
How do you use “years” in a sentence?
Here is “years” used in a sentence: “It felt like years since they had last spoken.”
What part of speech is “years”?
“Years” is a noun.
Is “years” a common word?
“Years” is a very common word in modern English.
What does 'in years' mean, as in 'I haven't seen you in years'?
Here years does not count exact time — it is a loose, informal way of saying 'a very long time.' 'I haven't seen you in years' simply means it has been ages, whether that is three years or ten. It is gentle exaggeration for effect, not a precise measurement.
Is 'years' in this sense literal?
Not really. Used this way, years is deliberately loose — a figure of speech rather than a count. 'This will take years' or 'I have waited years for this' emphasises how long something feels, not an exact number. It is the same everyday hyperbole as saying 'ages' or 'forever.'
What is an example of 'years' used loosely?
You will hear it in phrases like 'It has been years since we spoke,' 'She has looked younger for years,' or 'That was years ago.' None pins down an exact span — each just signals a long, vague stretch of time, often to stress how much has passed.
Example sentences
Real-world examples showing years in context, drawn from published sources. Any opinions expressed are those of the original source and do not reflect the views of FreeDict.com.
Beth Brown regularly used tanning beds since 2018, when she was 22 years old, switching between utilizing them either twice a month or once a week.
From
People · Jul 25, 2026
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include years:
