twenty

noun

twen·ty ˈtwen-tē ˈtwən-

plural twenties

Synonyms of twenty

: a number equal to two times 10 see Table of Numbers

twenties plural : the numbers 20 to 29

specifically : the years 20 to 29 in a lifetime or century

: a 20-dollar bill

twentieth

ˈtwen-tē-əth

ˈtwən-

adjective or noun

twenty adjective

twenty pronoun, plural in construction

Examples of twenty in a Sentence

Tomorrow the temperature will be in the low twenties.

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.

In his twenties, my husband served as secretary to a high-ranking official who has now retired and has an apartment in the ministers’ community. — Jonathan Flint, Harpers Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026 Némirovsky moved to Paris in 1919, attended the Sorbonne, and wrote a group of successful novels in French in the nineteen-twenties and thirties. — David Denby, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026 One notable flag about Mermaids is that Ryder’s teenage character begins a romantic relationship with a man in his twenties; however, this plotline could lead to dialogue between parents and teens about age-appropriate relationships. — Kara Nesvig, Parents, 29 Aug. 2026 The prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain that governs impulse control and long-range judgment, is not fully developed until the mid-twenties. — Emily Stack, Hartford Courant, 23 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for twenty

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from twenty, adjective, from Old English twēntig, noun, group of 20, from twēn- (akin to Old English twā two) + -tig group of 10; akin to Old English tīen ten — more at two, ten

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of twenty was in the 13th century

See more words from the same century

Cite this Entry

Style

“Twenty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/twenty. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

twenty

noun

twen·ty ˈtwent-ē

plural twenties

: a number equal to two times 10 see number

twenty adjective or pronoun

twenty

noun

Examples of twenty in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

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twenty

noun

Examples of twenty in a Sentence

Word History

Phrases Containing twenty

Rhymes for twenty

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

More from Merriam-Webster on twenty

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