midlife crisis

American  

noun

• midlife crises
  plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• midlife crises
  plural

Etymology

Origin of midlife crisis

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

midlife crisis

That feel especially valid at a time when we have plenty of shoppable salves to soothe midlife crisis ego death in whatever forms that it takes.

From Salon ● Aug. 4, 2026

An antidote to August ennui: When Byard Duncan began to feel the creep of a midlife crisis, he realized that desperate times call for farcical measures.

From Slate ● Aug. 3, 2026

Here’s how it can shake its midlife crisis.

From MarketWatch ● Apr. 6, 2026

“We say midlife crisis or whatever, but it’s a time of questioning, a time where you take stock of your life,” says showrunner Aseem Batra.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 20, 2026

Granddaddy says he looks like he’s in a midlife crisis.

From "On the Come Up" by Angie Thomas