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

Just 9% of Gen X and only 5% of Boomers felt the same constant tipping obligation. ◾ When tipping in-store, a third of Gen Z (33%) and millennials (33%) always or often feel pressured or were made to feel guilty when tipping. —Betty Lin-Fisher, USA TODAY, 7 May 2024

There’s a significant disconnect between Gen Z and millennials, Gen X, and boomers collectively regarding how the latter view Gen Z’s workplace values, priorities, stereotypes, and perceptions. —Vicki Salemi, Fortune, 7 May 2024

In Phoenix, Mesa and Chandler, 12.6% of millionaire homeowners are Gen Z, 17.2% are Millennials, 35.5% are Gen X, 32.6% are Baby Boomers and 2.2% are Silent Generation owners. —Dina Kaur, The Arizona Republic, 25 Apr. 2024

From baby boomers to Gen X, each age cohot has unique qualities based on the political, economic and social factors of the time. —Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 23 Apr. 2024

This is a higher share than their millennial (60%), Gen X (58%), and Baby Boomer (56%) counterparts. —Courtney Vinopal, Fortune, 15 Apr. 2024

Additionally, Gen X and older millennials should consider delaying Social Security until age 70, which can significantly boost their monthly payouts. —Ebony Flake, Essence, 11 Apr. 2024

Cobra Kai is the rare show that Gen X and Gen Z can love equally. —Tanya Melendez, EW.com, 6 Apr. 2024

Baby boomers and Gen X are wildly underprepared for retirement on the whole, according to many surveys and studies. —Alicia Adamczyk, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1992, in the meaning defined above