Gilded Age

American  

noun

1. the period in the U.S. c1870–98, characterized by a greatly expanding economy and the emergence of plutocratic influences in government and society.

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Example Sentences

Ford captured this at the end of his piece: American progressivism emerged out of a rejection of corruption and self-dealing in the Gilded Age.

From Slate • Apr. 17, 2026

"This is the first opportunity where it's clear I have an opening where I will finish The Gilded Age in mid-August, and go into rehearsal for Hay Fever a few days later," she said.

From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026

As the Gilded Age rolled on, one female game designer subverted the script.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 21, 2026

Ours is a history in which New York robber barons used the promise of belonging to splinter the poor into factions and manipulate them into fighting among themselves during the Gilded Age.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 24, 2026

This was the end of the Gilded Age, a time when fortunes were amassed overnight, and the new twentieth century was awash in new money.

From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day