ENGLISH
REFERENCE

teens

n. uncountable
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford US //ˈtinz// UK //tˈiːnz// teens General-service

n. the years of a person's life from age 13 to 19. You can also use it to describe a group of people in this age range.

n. the period of life between the ages of thirteen and nineteen inclusive. Often used to refer to the temperature or numerical values within the range of thirteen to nineteen.


SIMPLE

She started her own business while still in her teens.

CONTEXTUAL

The local youth center offers several programs specifically designed to help teens develop leadership skills and community awareness.

COMPLEX

While many individuals find their teens to be a period of significant emotional upheaval, others navigate these formative years with a surprising degree of focus and resilience.

Synonyms
Origin

The final syllable of the numbers from thirteen to nineteen. More at teen.

Usage

Usually plural and preceded by a possessive pronoun ('in her teens') or used as a collective noun.

Pitfall

He is in his teenHe is in his teensWhen referring to the age range, the word must be plural.

© 2026 English Reference