midlife crisis

American  

noun

1. a period of psychological stress occurring in middle age, thought to be triggered by a physical, occupational, or domestic event, as menopause, diminution of physical prowess, job loss, or departure of children from the home.

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midlife crisis British  

/ ˈmɪdˌlaɪf /

noun

1. a crisis that may be experienced in middle age involving frustration, panic, and feelings of pointlessness, sometimes resulting in radical and often ill-advised changes of lifestyle

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Etymology

Origin of midlife crisis

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

For me, the urge to tame a two-wheeled beast wasn’t some fleeting or idle fantasy—a septuagenarian version of a midlife crisis.

From The Wall Street Journal

Is this a quiet, weirdly constructive midlife crisis?

From The Wall Street Journal

"I was 40 the year we planted - it was a midlife crisis."

From BBC

In a five-star review, the Telegraph's Robbie Collin described it as a "midlife crisis masterpiece", and highlighted the final scene as a "knockout".

From BBC

"Many have described it as a midlife crisis," Mr Conner joked.

From BBC