latchkey

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

I was a 1980s latchkey kid, and some of my favorite memories involved coming home from school, choosing something to heat up from the freezer and watching family sitcom reruns.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026

"Dinosaurs were more like latchkey kids," Holtz said.

From Science Daily • Feb. 27, 2026

“Costco’s food court is a distinct, beloved, earnest slice of discount, faster-than-fast food. It’s basically like upscale microwave food. Like a latchkey kid somehow got hold of industrial kitchen equipment,” Thrillist wrote back in 2018.

From Salon • May 3, 2025

I think for latchkey kids of the ‘80s and ‘90s, celebrities filled in for the family members we wish we had.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 28, 2023

He and I are going to help Mom practice every single night, which is why I’m sitting at my desk instead of watching after-school TV, which is a birthright of every latchkey child.

From "When You Reach Me" by Rebecca Stead