Kleenex means: A disposable tissue.. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
kleenex
(North America) A disposable tissue.
Etymology timeline
Born ~1924 · 1 year of recorded useSeen in the wild
just got some really bad news so would love some nice or funny things to distract me while i finish off this box of kleenex
Somebody pleeeease get this man a box of Kleenex
#nowplaying Kleenex/LiLiPUT - Tschik-Mo (from Kleenex/LiLiPUT) Streaming live on greattunes.net.
Definitions
(North America) A disposable tissue.
Could you hand me a kleenex? My nose is running.
Kleenex means: A disposable tissue.. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
kleenex means: A disposable tissue.. Register: neutral, standard English. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself. A formal-English equivalent (a synonym or descriptive phrase) is usually safer in writing. When in doubt, paraphrase rather than reuse the slang form.
“just got some really bad news so would love some nice or funny things to distract me while i finish off this box of kleenex”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Somebody pleeeease get this man a box of Kleenex”
— Bluesky· May 2026“#nowplaying Kleenex/LiLiPUT - Tschik-Mo (from Kleenex/LiLiPUT) Streaming live on greattunes.net.”
— Bluesky· May 2026
Comments
For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.
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Other words near "kleenex" (K)
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(North America) A diaper that is disposable; a single-use diaper or paper diaper, as opposed to a cloth one.
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(North America, Australia, countable) A sheet of absorbent paper, used for cleaning and food preparation, usually sold in and dispensed from rolls.
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(North America) A disposable paper cup, sometimes waxed, especially used for individual servings of iced desserts.
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(uncountable) Toilet paper.