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

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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

The Milken Institute also researches regional economic trends, demographics and financial markets. — James F. Peltz, latimes.com, "Anthony Scaramucci, L.A.'s Gary Winnick encouraging pardon for 'junk bond king' Michael Milken," 16 June 2018 For example, most existing machine learning studies have used data from electronic health records, spanning hundreds of factors related to mental health diagnoses, physical health problems, medications, demographics and hospital visit patterns. — Joseph Franklin, Scientific American, "Suicide Prediction Remains Difficult Despite Decades of Research," 11 June 2018 But their success may be more dependent on two other factors: demographics and travel. — Jonathan Kauffman, San Francisco Chronicle, "In the chain-averse Bay Area, why are we so crazy for Asian restaurant chains?," 31 May 2018 Healey’s proposal comes amid predictions by specialists that many small colleges will close in the next few years, because of shifting high school population demographics and the fact small, private colleges have become so expensive. — Laura Krantz, BostonGlobe.com, "After Mount Ida, AG seeks tougher college oversight," 25 May 2018 Just below that, click Performance Dashboard to get school-by-school details on chronic absenteeism, demographics and academic performance. — Ann Doss Helms, charlotteobserver, "Will CMS charge thousands with truancy crime? What you need to know about absences. | Charlotte Observer," 12 Apr. 2018 There’s one quantum of solace for those fearful of a looming Treasury test: Major remains a bull on the longer end of the curve, thanks in part to structural forces, demographics and capital flows. — Bloomberg.com, "Soaring Treasury Bill Rates to Test Markets, Warns HSBC's Major," 8 Mar. 2018 As its community demographics have changed over the past years, so has Hammond’s deep commitment to equity and to building deep personal connections. — Valerie Strauss, Washington Post, "How one Maryland high school successfully boosted minority student enrollment in advanced classes," 10 July 2018 Lahey knew how to tap into his target demographics, with Ireland’s Great Hunger Institute appealing to the nearly 25 percent of Quinnipiac students who have Irish roots. — Alison Kuznitz, courant.com, "A Visionary Leader, President John Lahey Casts His Final Shadow On Quinnipiac University," 2 July 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

The United States is also going through a demographic shift. — Jesse J. Holland And Russell Contreras, chicagotribune.com, "Trump draws fierce criticism for saying immigration is 'changing the culture' of Europe for worse," 14 July 2018 All but a handful are of Asian descent, reflecting the town’s demographic shifts. — Doug Struck, The Christian Science Monitor, "As Americans celebrate Independence Day, what does it mean to be a patriot?," 2 July 2018 The statement reflects a demographic shift in the neighborhood, which has seen a wave of younger homeowners swooping in amongst older families who have lived in the area for years. — Kate Talerico, The Courier-Journal, "New restaurant plus (maybe?) short-term rentals ahead in Schnitzelburg," 21 June 2018 This new disdain for Democrats among blue-collar voters has bought Republicans precious time to try to prepare for the demographic shifts ahead. — Chris Stirewalt, Fox News, "Dems didn't learn the lesson from West Virginia," 2 May 2018 Growing internationalism is not the only demographic shift behind the co-educational trend. — The Economist, "England’s single-sex schools are struggling to recruit pupils," 28 Apr. 2018 From the front lines to the home front The postwar boom wasn’t just the result of a demographic shift, or simply the flowering of an economy primed by new consumer spending. — Patrick Sisson, Curbed, "Why buying a house today is so much harder than in 1950," 10 Apr. 2018 The report by MGT of America Consulting says the changes are needed to address enrollment declines projected at about 6,600 students over the next decade, demographic shifts and future programming needs. — Annysa Johnson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "MPS braces for bruising budget battle; busing services, health care benefits could be pared," 7 Apr. 2018 That burgeoning demographic shift should see dry-wall penetration in Asia’s developing economies soar to as high as 95 percent from the current low single-digit levels, Kane said. — Matthew Burgess, Bloomberg.com, "Trump Spending Plan No Match for Asia Housing Demand, Says Boral," 15 Mar. 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.