Gen Z

noun

ˈjen-ˈzē 

: generation z

Gen Z is as nuanced and complex as every generation before them … In fact, they are considered to be the most diverse and multicultural generation ever.

—Andrew Kelly and Guy Cierzan

Gen Z is incredibly media savvy, so the challenge for marketers is trying to connect with an audience that already knows every marketing trick in the book.

—Chirag Kulkarni

—often used before another noun

Gen Z activists are using social media to start movements and gather the momentum they need to make positive changes in the world.

—Savanna Smith

—often hyphenated in such use

Gen-Z students/consumers

Gen Zer

ˈjen-ˈzē-ər 

noun

or Gen-Zer

plural Gen Zers or Gen-Zers

… even the oldest Gen Zer was just a tween when the iPhone was released in 2007.

—Ryan Kelly

Though many tend to lump them together, millennials and Gen Zers are two very different cohorts.

—Chad Recchia

Examples of Gen Z in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

My previous stories at Forbes.com also have shown that Gen Z are getting flak for their inability to collaborate and communicate, and hiring managers say Gen Zers are the worst to work with and manage. —Bryan Robinson, Forbes, 27 Sep. 2024

And the Gen Z episode will be narrated by Jenna Ortega, and feature interviews with David Hogg and notable Gen Z activists, Olivia Juliana, and Deja Foxx, among others. —Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Sep. 2024

Most Gen Z Americans, particularly Gen Z Democrats, are more likely than older Americans to believe that generational change in political leadership is necessary to solve the country's problems, per the survey. —Russell Contreras, Axios, 27 Sep. 2024

Winning over the generation could be key to brands like the troubled Nike; Gen Alpha is expected to have a $5.46 trillion economic footprint by 2029, surpassing that of Gen Z and millennials combined. —Bysasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 27 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1996, in the meaning defined above