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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Influencers like Oprah, Reese Witherspoon and BookTok have smashed the glass ceiling for female writers. Doug McIntyre, Oc Register, 31 Aug. 2025 Meet the all-female hacker house tackling Silcon Valley's glass ceiling. Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2025 This is where senior leaders must use their influence to break the glass ceiling, not just symbolically, but structurally. Dr. Shaheena Janjuha-Jivraj, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025 The officiating glass ceiling was shattered in the NBA in 1997, with Violet Palmer and Dee Kantner hired as referees. Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for glass ceiling

Word History

First Known Use

1984, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of glass ceiling was in 1984

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Cite this Entry

“Glass ceiling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glass%20ceiling. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

glass ceiling

noun
: an informal limit to how high a position women and minorities can earn in a company
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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