Gen Z

noun

ˈjen-ˈzē 

: generation z

Gen Z is as nuanced and complex as every generation before them … In fact, they are considered to be the most diverse and multicultural generation ever.

—Andrew Kelly and Guy Cierzan

Gen Z is incredibly media savvy, so the challenge for marketers is trying to connect with an audience that already knows every marketing trick in the book.

—Chirag Kulkarni

—often used before another noun

Gen Z activists are using social media to start movements and gather the momentum they need to make positive changes in the world.

—Savanna Smith

—often hyphenated in such use

Gen-Z students/consumers

Gen Zer

ˈjen-ˈzē-ər 

noun

or Gen-Zer

plural Gen Zers or Gen-Zers

… even the oldest Gen Zer was just a tween when the iPhone was released in 2007.

—Ryan Kelly

Though many tend to lump them together, millennials and Gen Zers are two very different cohorts.

—Chad Recchia

Examples of Gen Z in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Whether your perception of Gen Z is shaped by real-world interactions or two-dimensional headlines, pigeonholing a whole generation is reductive. —Alex Cooper, Fortune, 16 May 2026

The National Association of Realtors found last year 4% of homebuyers were Gen Z, up from 3% the year before. —Jennifer Ludden, NPR, 15 May 2026

The co-branded collection is rooted in youth culture and inspired by Gen Z’s desire for customization and collectibility. —Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 14 May 2026

These vintage items especially appeal to Gen Z, Peters says, who aspire for a classic aesthetic of American fashion that's distinct from fast fashion products made in their generation, from thrifting Levi's jeans to cowboy boots. —Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 14 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1996, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for Gen Z

• bens
• cleanse
• dens
• gens
• glens
• hens
• jens
• pens
• tens
• wrens
• zens
• cheyennes