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thirteenth reason

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

ˈθɝˈtinθ ˈɹizənDocumented since 2000s2000sGen Z254 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
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Born ~2007 · no dated citations yet
2007BornToday, 2026
Late-Millennial / Web 2.0 eraSee decade cohort →

Definitions

#1·Apr 26, 2026

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

I swear, if you don't cut that out, you'll be my thirteenth reason why.
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. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
For parents

"thirteenth reason" means: A relatively minor annoyance or inconvenience, jokingly implied to be the "last straw" that will motivate someone to commit suicide.. This is informal slang, common in casual speech, texting and social media, but not appropriate for school work, applications or professional settings. There is no real cause for concern in itself; it is everyday peer vocabulary. If your child uses it, a light comment about audience and register is usually enough — no need to escalate. Context, more than the word, tells you whether to follow up.

For ESL learners

"thirteenth reason" means: A relatively minor annoyance or inconvenience, jokingly implied to be the "last straw" that will motivate someone to commit suicide.. Register: informal slang, fine in casual conversation, texting and social media but not in academic essays, business writing or formal speech. A common non-native mistake is to use the word in the wrong register, or to assume one fixed meaning when it is actually polysemous; always check the surrounding register and the audience before producing it yourself. In formal writing, prefer a neutral synonym or a short descriptive phrase, and use this word only when you have heard or read it being used naturally in a comparable context.

Cluster: online_activity
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For specific readers

"thirteenth reason" means: A relatively minor annoyance or inconvenience, jokingly implied to be the "last straw" that will motivate someone to commit suicide.. This is informal slang, common in casual speech, texting and social media, but not appropriate for school work, applications or professional settings. There is no real cause for concern in itself; it is everyday peer vocabulary. If your child uses it, a light comment about audience and register is usually enough — no need to escalate. Context, more than the word, tells you whether to follow up.

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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