middle-aged
Americanadjective
-
being of the age intermediate between youth and old age, roughly between 45 and 65.
-
characteristic of or suitable for persons of this age.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of middle-aged
First recorded in 1600–10
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Cosmetic injectables were once associated with wealthy, middle-aged clients seeking subtle anti-ageing treatments, but the industry has undergone a dramatic transformation over the past decade.
From BBC ● Jul. 5, 2026
There was Molly Hollis, a middle-aged, Midwestern former schoolteacher whose creation required body padding and a wig; a flamboyant redhead; a nearly invisible elderly woman; and, most uncannily, Reichl’s own mother.
From Salon ● Jul. 5, 2026
In middle-aged mice, however, these cells became highly active and began producing large numbers of new fat cells.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 27, 2026
The story shifts smoothly from one gear to another—character clash to loopy farce to middle-aged angst—in each case with so much insight that singling out a best scene or moment is impossible.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026
The middle-aged South Asian couple who had been seated across the aisle is standing between her and us.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
