midlife crisis

noun

Definition of midlife crisis

: a period of emotional turmoil in middle age characterized especially by a strong desire for change

Examples of midlife crisis in a Sentence

We knew he was going through a midlife crisis when he bought a new sports car.

Recent Examples on the Web

Like, midlife crisis, institutionalized, blacklisted, no family. — Mariah Haas, Fox News, "Drew Barrymore opens up about her childhood drug abuse: Cocaine 'seems like my worst nightmare right now'," 14 Sep. 2018 But for this petulant group, another midlife crisis is always lurking around the corner. — Andrew R. Chow, New York Times, "What’s on TV Sunday: ‘The Affair’ and ‘Parts Unknown’," 17 June 2018 There are several ways to describe what happens to him — as a midlife crisis, a psychological breakdown, a political awakening or a religious reckoning. — Paul Schrader, New York Times, "Review: ‘First Reformed’ Is an Epiphany. Ethan Hawke Is, Too.," 17 May 2018 Past partners know some part of us that no one else ever will, and sometimes, at a moment of midlife crisis, such familiarity can bring comfort. — Sylvia Brownrigg, San Francisco Chronicle, "‘My Ex-Life,’ by Stephen McCauley," 14 June 2018 While the first movie led with Mr. Incredible and his midlife crisis, the sequel elevates Mrs. Incredible as the star. — Christina Schoellkopf, latimes.com, "'Incredibles 2' team on the sequel's 14-year gap, and putting Elastigirl center stage," 6 June 2018 Enter, Pursued by a Whale’ In this comedy, a retirement party gone horribly awry reflects the midlife crisis of a man – who thinks he’s being followed by a whale. — Matthew J. Palm, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Orlando Fringe: Sentinel's Best of the Fest," 23 May 2018 As the force's oldest rookie, he's met with skepticism from some of the higher-ups who see him as little more than a walking midlife crisis. — Kate Stanhope, latimes.com, "All the details on ABC's new shows for the 2018-19 season," 10 May 2018 This time he was motivated by an endurance athlete’s equivalent of a midlife crisis. — Paul Bisceglio, The Atlantic, "The Wisdom of Running a 2,189-Mile Marathon," 13 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'midlife crisis.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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The first known use of midlife crisis was in 1965

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More Definitions for midlife crisis

midlife crisis

noun

English Language Learners Definition of midlife crisis

: a time in middle age when a person feels a strong desire for change

See the full definition for midlife crisis in the English Language Learners Dictionary

midlife crisis

noun

Medical Definition of midlife crisis

: a period of emotional turmoil in middle age caused by the realization that one is no longer young and characterized especially by a strong desire for change