Gen X

noun

ˈjen-ˈeks 

: generation x

Gen X managed to stretch adolescence beyond all previous limits: Its members started becoming adults earlier and finished becoming adults later.

—Jean M. Twenge

—often used before another noun

a Gen X celebrity

—often hyphenated in such use

… 'The Blair Witch Project,' a stealth blockbuster with clever Internet marketing and so much Gen-X appeal that it's spooking Hollywood.

—Newsweek

Gen Xer

ˈjen-ˈek-sər 

noun

or Gen-Xer

plural Gen Xers or Gen-Xers

… only about 56 percent of high-school seniors in 2015 went out on dates; for Boomers and Gen Xers, the number was about 85 percent.

—Jean M. Twenge

Like many Gen-Xers, I remember childhood as an uncomplicated time when the only thing you had to worry about was being home by dark.

—Bethany Young Hardy

Examples of Gen X in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Lurking within the various plotlines is a critique of the greed and selfishness baked into Baby Boomers and Gen X, who used up the planet’s resources without concern for the fallout faced by their offspring. —Ben Travers, IndieWire, 28 Jan. 2025

Age appeared to be an important factor: 28 percent of Generation Z—people born between 1997 and 2012—was familiar with the term, compared to 59 percent of Gen X, those born between 1965 and 1980. —Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 25 Jan. 2025

For example, Millennials and Gen Z travelers tend to seek adventure and expedition-style add-on experiences, while Gen X and Baby Boomers tend to be more drawn to classic options like shore excursions. —Richard Sine, Forbes, 24 Jan. 2025

And in 2004, 55% of people aged 18 to 26, including both millennials and Gen X respondents, reported excellent mental health. —Rachel Hale, USA TODAY, 23 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1992, in the meaning defined above