the boy/girl next door

noun phrase

: a wholesome young man/woman from a middle-class family
He/She seemed like the boy/girl next door.

Examples of the boy/girl next door 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.
Sean literally started off as the boy next door, Axl's friend and classmate. Will Harris, EW.com, 30 July 2025 Soverall will star as Percy, who spends her summers in Barry's Bay in the novel and becomes friends with the boy next door, Sam, and his brother, Charlie. Jordana Comiter, People.com, 18 July 2025 Sandy Duncan defies gravity — again The stage, film and TV star from New London, Texas, excelled at playing the girl next door starting early in the 1960s. Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025 Answer: Molly What color shirt does Sid, the boy next door, wear? Kara Nesvig, Parents, 17 June 2025 The black, wolfish dog was sentenced to death by the Framingham Police Department after tearing into the arm of the boy next door who came over to pet him. Peter Rubin, Longreads, 4 Oct. 2024 Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, population 8,500, is the girl next door — reliable, down-to-earth and blessed with a natural beauty that changes little over time. Tracey Teo, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2024 Or Tony Goldwyn, the boy next door who is the most unsuspecting villain. Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 3 Sep. 2024 How has your relationship with that label — and being known as the boy next door — changed over the years? Max Gao, Variety, 16 Aug. 2024

Browse Nearby Words

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“The boy/girl next door.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20boy%2Fgirl%20next%20door. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!