millennial

1 of 2

adjective

mil·​len·​ni·​al mə-ˈle-nē-əl How to pronounce millennial (audio)
1
: of or relating to a millennium
This geopolitical specification of the millennium—this identification of the New Jerusalem with a particular place and people—was rare, even in a time of millennial fervor.Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.
2
: of, relating to , or belonging to the generation of people born in the 1980s or 1990s : of or relating to millennials
More than 60% of millennial voters support the birth control mandate.Katie McDonough

millennial

2 of 2

noun

: a person born in the 1980s or 1990s
usually plural

Examples of millennial in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Joe Biden’s reelection campaign, meanwhile, recently got a coveted endorsement from a coalition of 15 Gen Z and millennial voting groups. Anna Merlan, WIRED, 14 Mar. 2024 But 21% of parents were still helping millennial (ages 28 to 43) and Gen X (ages 44 to 59) kids. Will Daniel, Fortune, 11 Mar. 2024 Dennis Culhane, a University of Pennsylvania social researcher who has tracked homelessness among baby boomers, noted that millennial homelessness in New York City was high after the 2008 recession, for instance. Jeanna Smialek, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2024 Tara, a strong millennial voice and advocate for the environment, will work with the Legislature to champion change and push for climate solutions. Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 1 Mar. 2024 Through knee-jerk millennial instinct, that vulnerable bald skull always flashes me back to those unforgettable photos of Britney Spears at the gas station in 2007—head freshly shaved, eyes blank and wild, umbrella wielded as a machete. Matthew Strauss, Pitchfork, 29 Feb. 2024 All the big hotel groups have forged links with sports and music event companies to tap into the millennial market. Sarah Turner, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 And millennial women raised on the girl-power messages of the nineties would smash our heads again and again on the glass ceiling we were told has already been broken. Lyz Lenz, Rolling Stone, 16 Feb. 2024 In-flight connections While Gen Z and millennial TikTokers may just now be catching up to the trading card trend, the phenomenon is not new. Rachel Ventresca, Fortune, 16 Feb. 2024
Noun
The younger group of millennial and Gen Z employees (born 1989 or later) have experienced a five-point decline in engagement, from 40% to 35%. Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 29 Feb. 2024 Forty-two percent of Gen Z watches anime regularly compared to 25 percent of millennials. Nick Statt, The Verge, 26 Feb. 2024 This inclination towards prioritizing personal life over salary was even more pronounced within younger generations, as 60% of millennials and 56% of Gen Z participants preferred this scenario. Julian Hayes Ii, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2024 In fact, a 2018 survey from LinkedIn found that nearly 80% of American adults – and over 90% of Gen Zers and millennials – worry about the upcoming week on Sundays. Samantha Laine Perfas, The Christian Science Monitor, 23 Feb. 2024 That compares with 72 percent of Generation X owners, 55 percent of millennials and 26 percent of Generation Z. Redfin argued that long homeowner tenure has contributed to a national home listing shortage. Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Feb. 2024 Instead of striking up a conversation with their-coworkers, Gen Z and millennials workers are turning to TikTok in a desperate bid to find friends. Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 20 Feb. 2024 Like most millennials, my online adulthood is an education in digital self-expression. Jason Parham, WIRED, 19 Feb. 2024 Achieving an income of $525,000 is commendable, and there are certainly millennials in the U.S. who have achieved this financial milestone. Natalie Colley, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'millennial.' 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

1660, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1991, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of millennial was in 1660

Dictionary Entries Near millennial

Cite this Entry

“Millennial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/millennial. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

millennial

1 of 2 adjective
mil·​len·​ni·​al mə-ˈle-nē-əl How to pronounce millennial (audio)
: of or relating to a millennium

millennial

2 of 2 noun
: a person born in the 1980s or 1990s
usually used in plural

More from Merriam-Webster on millennial

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!