thirteenth reason

noun

A relatively minor annoyance or inconvenience, jokingly implied to be the "last straw" that will motivate someone to commit suicide.

“This post will be my thirteenth reason.”

Meanings

nounthirteenth reason sg

alternative 13th reason

  1. Internetexcessivesingularsingular onlyA relatively minor annoyance or inconvenience, jokingly implied to be the "last straw" that will motivate someone to commit suicide.

    This post will be my thirteenth reason.

    5 more examples

    I swear, if you don't cut that out, you'll be my thirteenth reason why.

    My thirteenth reason is Shake telling Deepti he's going to get her pregnant

    2022 February 14, Georgia Mooney, “I watched people on Love Is Blind date in the pods and I'm wondering if straight people are ok”, in The Tab, archived from the original on 12 May 2022

    found the short voicemail from when harry called me and i missed it. my thirteenth reason.

    2022 April 21, @MEDlClNEHES, Twitter, archived from the original on 09 Oct 2023

    […] "This class will be my thirteenth reason why." ¶ These are all so-called harmless statements I have heard from my peers. And when someone hears these words and expresses concern, the young person often responds dismissively with, "Calm down, I was just joking."

    2023 June 15, Rebecca Davidson, “It's Not a Joke”, in Jewish Journal, Los Angeles, C.A.: Tribe Media Corp, archived from the original on 26 Jun 2023

    A TikTok captured fans screaming at an employee delivering the news that the concert had been cancelled. ¶ "It isn't our fault. We want to make this as easy for you as possible. Unfortunately, the concert this evening has been postponed," said the employee. ¶ "This is my thirteenth reason," a fan shouted in the crowd.

    2023 August 29, Brooke Houghton, quoting an anonymous fan, “Drake's Vancouver Show Was Cancelled At The Last Minute & Here's What Went Down”, in Narcity, archived from the original on 09 Oct 2023

    Synonyms: thirteenth reason why

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA relatively minor annoyance or inconvenience, jokingly implied to be the "last straw" that will motivate someone to commit suicide.

Origin

Originally from the best-selling novel Thirteen Reasons Why (2007) by Jay Asher and popularized by the television adaptation 13 Reasons Why (2017–2020). The plot of the novel and series follows high school student Hannah Baker who kills herself and leaves a box of cassette tapes detailing thirteen reasons for taking her own life.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

Source: thirteenth reason on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.