# teens

/ˈtinz/ (US) · /tˈiːnz/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/teens
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. people aged 13 to 19

noun · CEFR A2

young people who are between 13 and 19 years old.

For teachers: plural form of 'teen', referring to individuals in the adolescent stage of development.

- The shop is very popular with local teens who come here after school.
- Market researchers are increasingly focused on how teens influence household spending through their social media presence.

### 2. the age range

noun · CEFR B1

the period of your life when you are between 13 and 19 years old.

For teachers: the years of human life spanning from the thirteenth to the nineteenth year.

- She spent most of her teens living in a small town in the mountains.
- Navigating one's teens can be a turbulent experience as social pressures and biological changes coincide.

### 3. numbers 13 to 19

noun · CEFR B2

the numbers that end in '-teen', from 13 to 19.

For teachers: the cardinal numbers within the range of thirteen to nineteen inclusive.

- The temperature is expected to stay in the high teens all week.
- The survey results showed that support for the new policy was only in the low teens among the older demographic.

### 4. the second decade of a century

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

the years from '13 to '19 in any century, like 1913 to 1919.

For teachers: the years from thirteen to nineteen within a specific century.

- Many famous poems were written during the teens of the twentieth century.
- Economic instability during the late teens of the nineteenth century led to significant social unrest across the continent.

## Examples

- She started her own business while still in her teens.
- The local youth center offers several programs specifically designed to help teens develop leadership skills and community awareness.
- 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.

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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.
