1. Home
2. Idioms
3. have growing pains

have growing pains

---

---

have growing pains

 

1. Fig. [for a child] to have pains—which are attributed to growth-in the muscles and joints. The doctor said that all Mary had were growing pains and that nothing was really wrong. Not everyone has growing pains.

2. Fig. [for an organization] to have difficulties in its early stages of growth. The banker apologized for losing my check and said the bank was having growing pains. The new administration was having terrible growing pains.

See also: grow, have, pain