demographic

noun

dem·o·graph·ic | \ ˌde-mə-ˈgra-fik,

ˌdē-mə-\

Definition of demographic

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 demographics plural : the statistical characteristics of human populations (such as age or income) used especially to identify markets a change in the state's demographics

2 business : a market or segment of the population identified by demographics trying to reach a younger demographic

demographic

adjective

de·mo·graph·ic | \ ˌde-mə-ˈgra-fik,

ˌdē-mə-\

variants: or less commonly demographical \ -fi-kəl

Definition of demographic (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : of or relating to demography or demographics demographic data

2 sociology : relating to the dynamic balance of a population especially with regard to density (see density sense 2c) and capacity for expansion or decline demographic trends a demographic shift

Other Words from demographic Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about demographic

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Did You Know?

Demographic analysis, the statistical description of human populations, is a tool used by government agencies, political parties, and manufacturers of consumer goods. Polls conducted on every topic imaginable, from age to toothpaste preference, give the government and corporations an idea of who the public is and what it needs and wants. The government's census, which is conducted every ten years, is the largest demographic survey of all. Today demographic is also being used as a noun; so, for example, TV advertisers are constantly worrying about how to appeal to "the 18-to-24-year-old demographic".

Examples of demographic in a Sentence

Noun

The town's demographics suggest that the restaurant will do well there. The newspaper will be making some changes in order to adapt to the region's shifting demographics. The demographics of the disease are changing, and we are seeing much younger people being affected by it.

Adjective

The demographic information shows that the population increased but the average income went down.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

And in the long term, 2018 could be a foundational year to rebuild the Democratic Party in Texas — a state with quickly changing demographics that could become increasingly liberal in years to come. — Tara Golshan, Vox, "Beto O’Rourke could lead a blue wave in Texas — even though he lost his Senate race," 7 Nov. 2018 Changing demographics have led to shifting economic fortunes; A 2015 study by Nielsen found that just 2.1 percent of black households in Chicago earned more than $100,000 a year, the 21st highest in the U.S. — Patrick Sisson, Curbed, "How a ‘reverse Great Migration’ is reshaping U.S. cities," 31 July 2018 The comparatively higher popularity of recent presidents is likely due to changing demographics, since the question asked respondents for presidents during their lifetimes. — Abigail Simon, Time, "Americans Say Barack Obama Was Best President of Their Lifetimes," 11 July 2018 And the city’s changing demographics in recent decades have helped drive that evolution and will set the agenda for what lies ahead. — Sarah Freishtat, Aurora Beacon-News, "Aurora in 2018: With population no longer booming, city looks to downtown for future growth," 6 July 2018 Changing demographics suggest one party rule is here to stay in Hamilton County. — Jason Williams, Cincinnati.com, "PX column: What's up with the barrage of tax hikes in Cincinnati and Hamilton County?," 28 June 2018 Changing demographics like aging baby boomers are to blame, but Harley-Davidson also has failed to attract younger consumers. — Aimee Picchi, CBS News, "Harley-Davidson vs. Trump: Who's right, who's wrong in president's latest trade fight," 26 June 2018 Changing demographics have also been a huge part of the conversation at the Republican Party’s convention. — Jeremy Wallace, San Antonio Express-News, "Republicans in Texas scoff at ‘blue wave’ even as they brace for it," 16 June 2018 The slate is designed to highlight Texas’ changing demographics and appeal to more voters. — Mike Ward, Houston Chronicle, "Texas Dems with little money banking on face-to-face turnout," 12 June 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

But the truth is that nobody knows anything, life is unpredictable, and while politics is shaped by deep demographic trends whose influence is detectable in the midterms, things can also change very rapidly in unexpected ways. — Matthew Yglesias, Vox, "What the 2018 results tell us about 2020," 14 Nov. 2018 But demographic trends and rising anger with his presidency have given Democrats hopes of turning the states blue. — Sean Sullivan, The Seattle Times, "Trump’s choice and a liberal favorite win Florida gubernatorial nominations," 28 Aug. 2018 That is rising along with awareness of the demographic trend that by the mid-21st Century — perhaps as early as 2045 — whites are expected to become the minority in America. — Will Bunch, Philly.com, "Can Trump's slow-motion ethnic cleansing keep whites in U.S. majority? | Will Bunch," 12 July 2018 Wilcox, 62, hopes to prevail in a fiercely competitive atmosphere, where demographic trends hint at first-ever enrollment declines. — Ann Doss Helms, charlotteobserver, "Quiet agitator at CMS prepares to rattle some cages in his second year," 12 July 2018 Plus experts argue that labor force participation has more to do with demographic trends than an individual administration’s policy — especially one that hasn’t even reached the halfway mark of it’s first term. — Meg Kelly, Washington Post, "Are people ‘coming back off the sidelines’ and into the workforce, as Ivanka Trump says?," 5 July 2018 And yet, even the White House’s radical immigration reform bill wouldn’t actually reverse existing demographic trends. — Eric Leivtz, Daily Intelligencer, "For Democrats, Immigration Is a Political Problem Without a Policy Solution," 2 July 2018 Unhelpful demographic trends exert additional pressure, with a small generation born during Russia’s turbulent 1990s now entering the workforce and having to help pay for a large post-war generation reaching retirement age. — The Economist, "Russia will raise pension ages that date back to Stalin," 30 June 2018 The demographic trend is no secret: The populations of the United States and other major industrial countries are getting older, and fast. — Mark Miller, The Christian Science Monitor, "With aging populations, companies rethink opportunities for older workers," 21 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'demographic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.