glass ceiling

noun

: an intangible barrier within a hierarchy that prevents women or minorities from obtaining upper-level positions

Examples of glass ceiling in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Just as inevitably as Japan qualifying for the World Cup, the current team hit a glass ceiling that led to its elimination from the tournament, posing some serious questions for the country. — Simon Chadwick, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026

By widening the gate, the expansion allowed Uzbekistan to finally break through its historic glass ceiling, secure its place on the global stage, and spark an unprecedented wave of football enthusiasm across our nation. — Tim Spiers, New York Times, 30 June 2026

Edwards has shattered glass ceilings and connected with the hockey community for years, culminating in an Olympic gold medal and NCAA championship this year. — Marisa Ingemi, Mercury News, 18 June 2026

On the other hand, everyone should hope for the eventual availability of a solid roof to replace the fully glass ceiling currently available across the R2 lineup. — ArsTechnica, 9 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1984, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for glass ceiling

• annealing
• appealing
• concealing
• congealing
• freewheeling
• repealing
• revealing
• unfeeling
• dealing
• feeling
• healing
• heeling

Kids Definition

glass ceiling

noun

: an informal limit to how high a position women and minorities can earn in a company