Phrase guide

growing pains

noun · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

generalized pains in the limbs or joints of children or adolescents (from many causes)

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: plural, plural-only

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

emotional or social problems associated with adolescence

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: plural, plural-only

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

difficulties that arise in the early stages of any project

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: broadly, plural, plural-only

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

problems that arise in enlarging an enterprise (especially in the early stages)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: trouble, problem

5

noun

Meaning 5

emotional distress arising during adolescence

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: pain, painfulness

6

noun

Meaning 6

pain in muscles or joints sometimes experienced by children and often attributed to rapid growth

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: pain, hurting

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

21 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 生長痛 /生长痛 (shēngzhǎngtòng) — generalized pains
  • Chinese Mandarin: 成長痛 /成长痛 (chéngzhǎngtòng) — generalized pains
  • Danish: vokseværk — generalized pains
  • Dutch: groeipijn — generalized pains
  • Finnish: kasvukipu — generalized pains
  • German: Wachstumsschmerz — generalized pains
  • Icelandic: vaxtarverkur — generalized pains
  • Polish: bóle wzrostowe — generalized pains
  • Romanian: durere de creștere — generalized pains
  • Spanish: dolores de crecimiento — generalized pains
  • Swedish: växtvärk — generalized pains
  • Chinese Mandarin: 生長痛 /生长痛 (shēngzhǎngtòng) — emotional or social problems
  • Chinese Mandarin: 成長痛 /成长痛 (chéngzhǎngtòng) — emotional or social problems
  • Dutch: groeipijn — emotional or social problems
  • Polish: problemy wieku dojrzewania — emotional or social problems
  • Dutch: groeipijn — difficulties
  • French: maladies de jeunesse — difficulties
  • Polish: początkowe problemy — difficulties
  • Swedish: växtvärk — difficulties
  • Swedish: uppstartsproblem — difficulties
  • Swedish: inkörningsproblem — difficulties