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

But when researching the demographics of species nearly 800,000 years ago, scientists have struggled with their complexity. — David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, "AI Predicts Humans Have an Ancestor We Don't Even Know About Yet," 17 Jan. 2019 The evictions are part of the shifting demographics in the sister cities of about 7,700 people. — Brady Mccombs, The Seattle Times, "Polygamous group lets go of sprawling Arizona worship center," 10 Dec. 2018 And Trump support was highest among demographics whose social media use was lowest. — Casey Newton, The Verge, "A majority of Americans don’t think social networks are good for the world," 21 Nov. 2018 The craziest part sometimes is watching those two demographics have almost the same reaction, for different reasons. — Liz Cantrell, Town & Country, "On Her Debut Album, Wicked Star Jessica Vosk is "Wild and Free"," 1 Aug. 2018 These rates are influenced by changing demographics and long-term trends, not just the administration’s policies or short-term economic gains. — Meg Kelly, Washington Post, "Are people ‘coming back off the sidelines’ and into the workforce, as Ivanka Trump says?," 5 July 2018 Out there in the balmy breezes, where the average age is far north of Madison Avenue’s desirable demographics, coolness falls away, as unnecessary and cumbersome as a poolside leather jacket. — Michael Ian Black, New York Times, "Cruises Are So Uncool They Are Cool," 3 July 2018 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

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

The guests are usually on the younger side of the Strip demographic, with plenty of money to spend on all the great restaurants, cabanas at the club, and bottle service at Marquee. — Andrea Bennett, Condé Nast Traveler, "16 Best Hotels in Las Vegas," 4 Mar. 2018 China’s demographic picture is also darkening: last year births plummeted 12% last year, to the lowest since 1961. — Greg Ip, WSJ, "The Global Boom, Barely Begun, May Be Over," 23 Jan. 2019 Identity Crisis, a 2018 book by leading political scientists John Sides, Michael Tesler, and Lynn Vavreck, is the best guide to understanding why these demographic divisions are so stark and getting starker. — Zack Beauchamp, Vox, "The 9 thinkers who made sense of 2018’s chaos," 27 Dec. 2018 And for Paramount and its Transformers universe ambitions, Bumblebee is a best-case scenario, demonstrating that the franchise can shift gears and expand in new directions, and broaden its demographic appeal at the same time. — Bryan Bishop, The Verge, "Bumblebee proves Transformers movies can actually be resonant and emotional," 20 Dec. 2018 The only thing more egregious than tainting Friends' good name is, well, trying to stop a historically marginalized demographic from being able to choose who governs them. — Jenny Hollander, Marie Claire, "Dear Georgia Republicans, Leave 'Friends' Alone," 23 Oct. 2018 The demographic driving middle-aged suicide is whites without a college degree, according to the Wall Street Journal. — Devin Tomb, Good Housekeeping, "“At 54, I Don’t Feel As Hopeful”: The Untold Story of Suicide in the U.S.," 21 Sep. 2018 According to the aesthetic-industry information mill that is RealSelf, the primary demographic researching mommy makeovers is 25- to 34-year-olds. — Jolene Edgar, Allure, "Life in Plastic: A Complete Guide to the "Mommy Makeover"," 16 July 2018 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

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.