middle-class

1 of 2

adjective

mid·​dle-class ˌmi-dᵊl-ˈklas How to pronounce middle-class (audio)
: of or relating to the middle class
especially : characterized by a high material standard of living, sexual morality, and respect for property
middle-classness noun

middle class

2 of 2

noun

: a class occupying a position between the upper class and the lower class
especially : a fluid heterogeneous socioeconomic grouping composed principally of business and professional people, bureaucrats, and some farmers and skilled workers sharing common social characteristics and values

Examples of middle-class in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Confiscating even more is a surefire way to kill innovation and hurt middle-class America. E.j. Antoni, The Mercury News, 23 Mar. 2024 These two factors alone can make homebuying seem out-of-reach for younger generations, as well as lower-income and middle-class families. Sydney Lake, Fortune, 21 Mar. 2024 To achieve a rebirth, cities must attract middle-class families, upwardly mobile immigrants, and entrepreneurs. Joel Kotkin, National Review, 20 Mar. 2024 Korean companies are capitalizing on the country’s growing middle-class and rapid experimental product development. Fang Ruan, Fortune Asia, 20 Mar. 2024 The drastic political changes prompted a large number of young professionals and middle-class families to emigrate to Britain, Canada, Taiwan, Australia, and the United States, among other places. Kanis Leung, The Christian Science Monitor, 19 Mar. 2024 But middle-class parents could also afford to pay a few bucks to the kid down the block, who—as companies were marketing products, more and more, to youths—now had a reason to want pocket money. Faith Hill, The Atlantic, 19 Mar. 2024 In one specific instance, in Newport News, Va. during the 1960s, the city decided to seize the Shoe Lane neighborhood, the main part of a middle-class Black enclave, which is the land where CNU is now located. Rayna Reid Rayford, Essence, 19 Mar. 2024 One goal of the Gray New Deal is to make sure that a middle-class worker can remain a middle-class retiree. Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 11 Mar. 2024
Noun
Meanwhile, South Korea is emerging as a hub for vitality outside of China, thanks to its growing middle class and trendsetting power. Alan Murray, Fortune, 21 Mar. 2024 These companies have focused on appealing to the shrinking middle class and lower-wage shoppers searching for low prices. Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN, 13 Mar. 2024 The key political takeaway is that the White House is determined to frame the upcoming contest between Biden and Donald Trump as a choice between a Democrat fighting for the American middle class and a Republican stooge for the plutocracy. John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2024 In his speech to Congress — and on the campaign trail — Biden has used taxes as a populist device, drawing a contrast between his plan to expand services for the working and middle classes and Trump’s tax law, which mainly benefited the wealthy and corporations. Jacob Bogage, Washington Post, 10 Mar. 2024 The middle class built the country, and unions built the middle class. Danielle Wallace, Fox News, 10 Mar. 2024 But in Gilbert, Scottsdale and Chandler, six figures is barely enough to be considered lower middle class, according to research from GoBankingRates. Laura Daniella Sepulveda, The Arizona Republic, 29 Feb. 2024 As the middle class has shrunk in recent decades, the retail market has split: Lower-end stores focused on cost-savings, such as Walmart, have done particularly well. Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 27 Feb. 2024 Rent has never been less affordable, especially for the middle class But developers, which partner with churches for these projects, have long struggled to build enough affordable housing. Danny Nguyen, Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'middle-class.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1836, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1745, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of middle-class was in 1745

Dictionary Entries Near middle-class

Cite this Entry

“Middle-class.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/middle-class. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

middle class

noun
: a social class that occupies a position between the upper class and the lower class and is composed mainly of business and professional people, government officials, farmers, and skilled workers
middle-class adjective

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