What does "nineties" mean?
plural of ninety
Nineties
adj, name, noun
adj, name, noun ·2 syllables ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: plural of ninety
- Grammar: nineties is listed as adj, name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: 1990s, 1890s, 1990s decade, mid-nineties.
- Useful contrasts: eighties.
- Usage evidence: Technology will make a lot of progress in the nineties.
How to use "nineties"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "nineties" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "nineties" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "nineties" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "nineties" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "nineties" is acting as adj, name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "1990s" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "nineties", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 plural of ninety form-of, plural, plural-only
- 2 The decade of the 1890s, 1990s, etc.
"Our readers — and contributors — are apt to elect a good deal according to years. The seventies and eighties, we may suppose, are concerned for the large educational and cultural interests of their Alma Mater; the nineties are deep in the practical and business activities; the noughties are not naughty, but still young enough to sport a fantastic costume at reunion and let the college wag as it will; the oneties are the really wise as to what the college ought to be, especially on its athletic side, but as contributors modest."
- 3 the time of life between 90 and 100 wordnet
- 4 The decade of one's life from age 90 through age 99. plural, plural-only
- 5 the decade from 1990 to 1999 wordnet
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 The range between 90 and 99. plural, plural-only
"My ideal bracket of temperature ranges from the sixties up to the nineties."
- 7 the decade from 1890 to 1899 wordnet
Adjective
- 1 From or evoking the 91st through 100th years of a century (chiefly the 1990s). not-comparable
"I found myself attracted to his mullet even though it struck me as needlessly nineties."
Proper Noun
- 1 Alternative letter-case form of nineties, in the context of a specific decade (almost always) the 1890s or 1990s. alt-of
"Seventies UFO fans also referred to “close encounters,” including the consciousness-raising “close encounter of the third kind,” in which humans and aliens meet. But UFOlogy has gone through a radical change, and in the Nineties the terms of the past are largely obsolete. During the past decade, for instance, literally thousands of people have come forward to say they’ve been kidnapped, or “abducted,” by short, large-headed, thin-lipped entities with saucer eyes."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"Technology will make a lot of progress in the nineties."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "nineties"?
Common synonyms include: 1990s, 1890s, 1990s decade, mid-nineties, nineties decade.
How do you use "nineties" in a sentence?
Technology will make a lot of progress in the nineties.