teen

1 of 2

noun (1)

ˈtēn How to pronounce teen (audio)
Synonyms of teennext
: a teenage person : teenager
teen adjective

teen

2 of 2

noun (2)

archaic
: misery, affliction

Examples of teen in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Out of the shadows The sudden death of Panettiere, who spent her childhood and teen years starring in big-budget films, has infused nuance into the conversation about maternal mental health. — Lauren Mascarenhas, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026 Gonzalez Rogers is overseeing the broader multidistrict litigation consolidating nearly 3,000 pending lawsuits against Meta, TikTok, Snap and YouTube over alleged harms to children and teens. — Jeffrey Kopp, CNBC, 22 Aug. 2026 The counselor, Katherine Smith, said at that earlier hearing that her counseling sessions with the teen did not involve discussions of Miller. — John Lynch, Arkansas Online, 21 Aug. 2026 Ashley Mady will be CEO of Zigazoo, a social media platform for kids and teens. — Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for teen

Word History

Etymology

Noun (2)

Middle English tene, from Old English tēona injury, grief; akin to Old Norse tjōn loss, damage

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1818, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of teen was in the 13th century

Rhymes for teen

See All Rhymes for teen

Browse Nearby Words

teem with rain
teen
teenage
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Teen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/teen. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

teen

noun
ˈtēn
: teenager
teen adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on teen

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for teen

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