middle age

Definition of middle agenext
as in adulthood
the period in a person's life from about age 40 to about age 60 as our generation approaches middle age When he reached middle age, he became suddenly obsessed with reliving his carefree college years.

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of middle age During middle age, researchers considered household resources like magazine subscriptions, dictionaries, and library cards, and how often the participants visited a museum or library. Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 17 Feb. 2026 Currently, student loan repayment plans typically range from 10 to 25 years — which already results in people bringing education debt into middle age and beyond. Annie Nova, CNBC, 4 Feb. 2026 In middle age, though, the only seaway Melville encountered was the brackish Hudson and his journeys consisted of tabulating the wool unloaded from Manchester, rum from Havana, and tea from Calcutta. Literary Hub, 14 Jan. 2026 By 2040, the then-middle age generation is expected to rake in $74 trillion in income. Essence, 1 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for middle age
Recent Examples of Synonyms for middle age
Noun
  • Brimming with spiritualism and sensuality, this neo-gothic story navigates the terrain between life and death, and between childhood and adulthood.
    The New Yorker, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
  • Without it, the custodial parent retains the right to claim the child, even if the noncustodial parent continues paying support into adulthood.
    Jenni Fink, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Yields on the 10-year maturities of all G7 economies all remain substantially lower than on 10-year gilts.
    Ian King, CNBC, 25 Mar. 2026
  • But what impresses Auriemma the most is Quinonez’s maturity, especially in how quickly she’s adapted to a brand new style of basketball.
    Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 22 Mar. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Middle age.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/middle%20age. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on middle age

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster