Puberty

noun

Frequency

Medium-High

CEFR Level

Neutral

Domain

Development

Definition

The stage in a person’s life when their body develops from a child into an adult, with physical changes that make them able to have children.

Context Alive

The mother noticed her daughter was growing taller almost every week. She sat her down one evening and gently explained that she was going through puberty and that all these changes were completely normal. Her daughter seemed relieved to finally understand what was happening to her body.

Meanings

1 meaning

1 The Stage of Physical Development From Child to Adult (Noun) Very Common ▼

This meaning is about the period when a young person’s body goes through major physical changes — growing taller, voice changing, skin changing, and developing in ways that mark the transition from childhood to adulthood. Imagine a twelve-year-old boy who suddenly starts growing out of all his clothes. His voice cracks when he speaks, and he’s dealing with skin problems for the first time. He’s going through puberty — his body is changing fast. This is a natural biological process everyone experiences. You might hear “she hit puberty earlier than most of her classmates” or a doctor could say “these changes are perfectly normal during puberty.” Or think about a parent noticing their child is suddenly moody and emotional — those hormonal shifts are all part of going through puberty. The word points to a specific biological stage, not just “being a teenager” in general. ✏️ “Go through puberty,” “reach puberty,” and “hit puberty” are the most common ways to use this word — “hit puberty” is the most casual and conversational of the three.

Vivid Example

The school nurse gave a talk to the Year 7 students about what to expect over the next few years. She explained that puberty affects everyone differently and at different ages. Some of the students looked embarrassed, but most were grateful to finally have their questions answered.

Examples from the Street

“He’s going through puberty at the moment — one minute he’s fine, the next he’s slamming doors.”

He’s at that stage of physical and emotional development where his mood swings are unpredictable

“I wish someone had talked to me properly about puberty instead of just handing me a leaflet.”

I wish an adult had actually explained the changes my body was going through instead of giving me a piece of paper and leaving me to figure it out

“She hit puberty earlier than most of her classmates, and it made her really self-conscious.”

Her body started developing before the other children her age, which made her feel awkward and uncomfortable

Common Patterns

go through puberty → experience the process of physical and sexual maturation

hit puberty → reach the point where physical changes begin (informal, very common)

reach puberty → arrive at the age when the body starts to mature (slightly more formal)

during puberty → while the physical changes are happening

before/after puberty → referring to the time either side of the developmental stage

early/late puberty → starting the process earlier or later than the typical age range

the onset of puberty → the beginning of the developmental process (formal/medical)

puberty changes / changes during puberty → the physical and emotional transformations that occur

puberty hormones → the chemical signals in the body that drive the changes

signs of puberty → early physical indicators that the process is starting

cope with / deal with puberty → manage the challenges of the developmental stage

talk to someone about puberty → have a conversation explaining the changes

puberty education / puberty talk → formal or informal teaching about the developmental stage

the awkwardness of puberty → the embarrassing, uncomfortable nature of the experience

survive puberty → get through the difficult stage (humorous/lighthearted)

Collocations

2 collocations

hit puberty

reach the stage of physical development

going through puberty

experiencing the changes of adolescence

Example Sentences

12 examples

Most children go through puberty between the ages of ten and fourteen, but everyone’s different

The majority of young people experience the physical changes of growing up somewhere between ten and fourteen years old, though the timing varies from person to person.

He hit puberty over the summer and came back to school looking completely different

His body started developing rapidly during the holiday break, and he returned to classes appearing totally transformed.

The emotional ups and downs during puberty can be just as challenging as the physical changes

The mood swings and shifting feelings that happen while the body is maturing can be equally difficult to handle as the bodily transformations.

She reached puberty earlier than her friends, which made her feel isolated and embarrassed

Her body began developing before her peers, which left her feeling alone and self-conscious about the differences.

The onset of puberty triggers a surge of hormones that affect everything from growth to mood

The beginning of the developmental stage sets off a flood of chemical signals that influence everything from physical size to emotional state.

Parents often struggle to talk to their children about puberty because they find it uncomfortable themselves

Mothers and fathers frequently find it difficult to explain the changes of growing up to their kids because they feel awkward about the subject too.

He found it hard to cope with puberty — the sudden growth spurt left him clumsy and self-conscious

He struggled to manage the developmental stage — the rapid increase in height made him uncoordinated and uncomfortable in his own body.

Looking back, the awkwardness of puberty seems funny now, but at the time it was genuinely painful

With hindsight, the embarrassing nature of that stage of growing up feels amusing, but in the moment it was truly difficult to endure.

Research suggests that the onset of puberty is happening earlier than it did a generation ago

Studies indicate that the beginning of physical development is occurring at a younger age than it did for the previous generation.

We all survived puberty somehow — spots, voice cracks, and all

We all got through that difficult growing-up stage one way or another — including the skin problems, the embarrassing voice changes, and everything else that came with it.

Learner Examples

★

Teaching teenagers who are going through puberty requires patience — their concentration, confidence, and mood can shift dramatically from one lesson to the next

Working with adolescents who are in the middle of their physical and emotional development demands understanding — their focus, self-assurance, and temperament can change drastically between classes.

★

Schools that include proper puberty education in the curriculum help students understand what’s happening to their bodies instead of leaving them confused and anxious

Institutions that provide thorough teaching about the developmental stage as part of their programme help learners make sense of the changes they’re experiencing rather than abandoning them to worry and uncertainty.