Gen X

noun

ˈjen-ˈeks 

: generation x

Gen X managed to stretch adolescence beyond all previous limits: Its members started becoming adults earlier and finished becoming adults later.

—Jean M. Twenge

—often used before another noun

a Gen X celebrity

—often hyphenated in such use

… 'The Blair Witch Project,' a stealth blockbuster with clever Internet marketing and so much Gen-X appeal that it's spooking Hollywood.

—Newsweek

Gen Xer

ˈjen-ˈek-sər 

noun

or Gen-Xer

plural Gen Xers or Gen-Xers

… only about 56 percent of high-school seniors in 2015 went out on dates; for Boomers and Gen Xers, the number was about 85 percent.

—Jean M. Twenge

Like many Gen-Xers, I remember childhood as an uncomplicated time when the only thing you had to worry about was being home by dark.

—Bethany Young Hardy

Examples of Gen X in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

While the JonBenét murder case is seared into the minds of Gen X and Baby Boomers, Gen Z and younger millennials might not be as aware, Berlinger said. —David K. Li, NBC News, 21 Nov. 2024

Engaging with a client on their philanthropic goals—during the giving season or throughout the year— often creates a unique opportunity to connect with multiple generations—notably Gen X and millennials, who may inherit wealth and take on philanthropic responsibilities down the road. —April Rudin, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024

The report, with nearly half of its respondents being millennial, followed by Gen X and Gen Z employees, found a staggering increase of 28% in the number of people who plan to change jobs, compared to 19% during the Great Resignation in 2022. —Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 20 Nov. 2024

That's in line with data that shows 17 different types of cancer are rising for Gen X and millennials. —Alyssa Goldberg, USA TODAY, 14 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1992, in the meaning defined above