# nineties

/ˈnaɪntiz/ (US) · /nˈaɪntɪz/ (UK) · CEFR A2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/nineties
Updated: 2026-05-08

## Definition

the years between 1990 and 1999, or the years in a century when someone is between 90 and 99 years old.

For teachers: the decade spanning the years 90 through 99 of a specific century, or the period of a person's life between the ages of 90 and 99.

## Examples

- Grunge music became very popular during the nineties.
- Many people who grew up in the nineties feel a strong sense of nostalgia for early internet culture.
- The economic boom of the nineties was characterized by rapid technological advancement and the emergence of the World Wide Web as a mainstream tool.

## Pitfalls

- Not "in the 90's" but "in the '90s" — The apostrophe replaces the missing digits (19), so it should be placed before the numbers, not before the 's'.

## Usage notes

- Always used in the plural form; takes a plural verb. When referring to the decade, it is typically preceded by 'the'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.