teething troubles

teeth·ing trou·bles
UK/ˈtiːðɪŋ ˈtɹʌb(ə)lz/US/ˈtiðɪŋ ˈtɹʌb(ə)lz/US/ˈtɹə-/

noun

Problems that are to be expected with any new and untried product, system, or venture.

Meanings

nounteething troubles pl (plural only)
  1. idiomaticpluralplural onlyProblems that are to be expected with any new and untried product, system, or venture.

    They have survived four nights in the forest, and after a few teething troubles they are getting on surprisingly well.

    2015, Paula Lichtarowicz, “The Nice New Brotherhood and Sisterhood of Ape-ish Folk”, in Creative Truths in Provincial Policing, paperback edition, London: Windmill Books, Penguin Random House, →ISBN, page 293
    5 more examples

    No doubt the new form of drive will have its teething troubles and this may be expected; but even if each ship manages to unload one cargo where it is badly needed and then it is beached, mechanical troubles will be comparatively unimportant provided all the crew are safe.

    1941 October, “Novel Armed Freighter Adopted by Navy”, in T. Orchard Lisle, editor, The Log, volume 36, number 13, San Francisco, Calif.: Miller Freeman, Inc., →OCLC, page 58, column 1

    But we think that, for something which is so new, it is far better and easier for them to recoup if it is only a 16,000 run. If it is up in the millions it is a bigger problem, and it is far better to get your teething troubles out of the way on a smaller one.

    1961 October 16, R. Emerick, “Mr. R. Emerick, Mr. S. Clegg, Mr. T. Warburton, on Behalf of the Amalgamated Society of Lithographic Printers”, in Royal Commission on the Press: Minutes of Oral Evidence […] (Cmnd. 1812), volumes II (Witnesses: Trades Unions and Associations, […]), London: Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, published September 1962, →OCLC, paragraph 9041, page 25

    He admitted that in their early days these units suffered a number of teething troubles, which, he said, "one may now look back upon with some wonder", as their causes were not hard to find.

    1961 November, “Talking of Trains: Diesel performance improving”, in Trains Illustrated, page 642

    He was on his way to Cleveland, Ohio to visit the steelworks there, review their working practices and sort out any problems. He knew there would be some, they had recently installed a new casting system that he had helped to develop, and the plant back home had experienced some teething troubles.

    2015, Liz Vincent, chapter 14, in Meddling Mother Madge + Dutiful Daughter Alice = Malice, Kibworth Beauchamp, Leicestershire: Matador, →ISBN, page 135

    Teething troubles with software forced the brief return of the old Class 507/508 stock at the beginning of March, but the issues are understood to have been quickly resolved.

    2023 March 22, “Network News: New Class 777s make inroads on Merseyside”, in RAIL, number 979, page 12

    Synonyms: teething issues, teething problems

Synonyms & antonyms

nounProblems that are to be expected with any new and untried product, system, or venture.

Origin

A reference to teething (“the eruption, through the gums, of the milk teeth”) and the accompanying discomfort, which occur during early life.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Czech dětské nemoci
  • dětské nemociproblems that are expected with any new and untried product, venture, etc.
Danish børnesygdomme
  • børnesygdommeproblems that are expected with any new and untried product, venture, etc.
Dutch kinderziekte, groeipijnen
  • kinderziekteproblems that are expected with any new and untried product, venture, etc.
  • groeipijnenproblems that are expected with any new and untried product, venture, etc.
Finnish lastentaudit
  • lastentauditproblems that are expected with any new and untried product, venture, etc.
German Kinderkrankheiten
  • Kinderkrankheitenproblems that are expected with any new and untried product, venture, etc.
Hungarian kezdeti nehézségek, gyermekbetegség
  • kezdeti nehézségekproblems that are expected with any new and untried product, venture, etc.
  • gyermekbetegségproblems that are expected with any new and untried product, venture, etc.
Italian contrattempi, difficoltà
  • contrattempiproblems that are expected with any new and untried product, venture, etc.
  • difficoltàproblems that are expected with any new and untried product, venture, etc.
  • imprevistiproblems that are expected with any new and untried product, venture, etc.
  • incidente di percorsoproblems that are expected with any new and untried product, venture, etc.
  • problemi di crescitaproblems that are expected with any new and untried product, venture, etc.
Norwegian Bokmål barnesykdommer
  • barnesykdommerproblems that are expected with any new and untried product, venture, etc.
Polish początkowe problemy
  • początkowe problemyproblems that are expected with any new and untried product, venture, etc.
Russian де́тская боле́знь
  • де́тская боле́знь (détskaja boléznʹ)problems that are expected with any new and untried product, venture, etc.
Swedish barnsjukdom
  • barnsjukdomproblems that are expected with any new and untried product, venture, etc.
Cite this entry
APA

teething troubles. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/teething%20troubles

MLA

“teething troubles.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/teething%20troubles. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “teething troubles,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/teething%20troubles.

Source: teething troubles on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.