Gen Z

noun

ˈjen-ˈzē 

: generation z

Gen Z is as nuanced and complex as every generation before them … In fact, they are considered to be the most diverse and multicultural generation ever.

—Andrew Kelly and Guy Cierzan

Gen Z is incredibly media savvy, so the challenge for marketers is trying to connect with an audience that already knows every marketing trick in the book.

—Chirag Kulkarni

—often used before another noun

Gen Z activists are using social media to start movements and gather the momentum they need to make positive changes in the world.

—Savanna Smith

—often hyphenated in such use

Gen-Z students/consumers

Gen Zer

ˈjen-ˈzē-ər 

noun

or Gen-Zer

plural Gen Zers or Gen-Zers

… even the oldest Gen Zer was just a tween when the iPhone was released in 2007.

—Ryan Kelly

Though many tend to lump them together, millennials and Gen Zers are two very different cohorts.

—Chad Recchia

Examples of Gen Z in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

What things cost—a massive issue for everyone—is driving much of how Gen Z views their priorities. —Todd Eckert, WIRED, 8 Dec. 2024

According to a study by Statista, last year Gen Z made up only about 26% of dating app users, with older millennials continuing to champion online dating. —Karoline Leonard, Austin American-Statesman, 7 Dec. 2024

How can streamers compete for Gen Z’s attention in such a fractured landscape? —Lynette Rice, Deadline, 6 Dec. 2024

Interestingly, despite earning less, Gen Z moms spend more on kids' gifts than Millennial moms do. —Hannah Nwoko, Parents, 6 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1996, in the meaning defined above