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

Kids and teens are more into snapping quick selfies than setting up a camera on a tripod and then racing against a 10-second timer to get into a group photo—that seems like something that's nostalgic for Gen X and millennials. —Jim Fisher, PC Magazine, 2 June 2026

The fun ballerina sneaker styles in colorful hues have driven a devoted following from Gen Z that spans all the way through to their Gen X parents. —Kaitlin Clapinski, InStyle, 30 May 2026

These efforts keep the brand in the conversation with Gen Z, millennials, and a growing Gen X cohort. —Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 29 May 2026

For instance, Ulta Beauty’s Gen X guests showed there was massive opportunity to unlock new brands and solutions. —Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 26 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1992, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for Gen X

• becks
• checks
• czechs
• decks
• dex
• ex
• flecks
• flex
• hex
• lex
• necks
• pecks