growing pains

plural noun

1

: pains in the legs of growing children having no demonstrable relation to growth

2

: the stresses and strains attending a new project or development

Examples of growing pains in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The guess here is if Cisse has a respectable training camp, Green Bay will live with some early growing pains and sink or swim with him from the jump. — Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026

Friday was just Conwell’s first summer league game, and there will be plenty of growing pains along the way. — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 4 July 2026

This avian bystander may have recognized a fellow bird of prey in Coriolanus, whose role in the Roman ecosystem is necessary yet not fit for all purposes in a young democracy beset with growing pains. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026

In fact, after enduring some early growing pains Watson has actually been quite good since the middle of May. — Mac Cerullo, Hartford Courant, 28 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1810, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for growing pains

• aeroplanes
• appertains
• ascertains
• entertains
• hurricanes
• hyperplanes
• windowpanes
• abstains
• alkanes
• attains
• biplanes
• bloodstains

Kids Definition

growing pains

plural noun

1

: pains in the legs of growing children having no proven relation to growth

2

: difficulties that accompany something new

a business going through growing pains

Medical Definition

growing pains

noun plural

grow·​ing pains ˈgrō-iŋ-ˌpānz 

: pains occurring in the legs of growing children having no demonstrable relation to growth