peer group

American  

noun

1. a group of people, usually of similar age, background, and social status, with whom a person associates and who are likely to influence the person's beliefs and behavior.

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peer group British  

noun

1. a social group composed of individuals of approximately the same age

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peer group Cultural  

1. A group of people who share certain social characteristics, such as age, class, occupation, or education, and interact on a level of equality. An individual may be a member of several peer groups, including friends, schoolmates, and coworkers. Peer groups are important in socialization, as individuals attempt to conform to the expectations of their peer groups. (See conformity and peer pressure.)

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Etymology

Origin of peer group

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

“I feel like I was the same peer group growing up with her, and am just so happy that she had her happy ending,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 3, 2026

The peer group broadly slid as investors fretted over the prospect of higher fuel prices for longer as the war in Iran dragged on.

From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026

“The reality is that, on average, after the age of 80, 5 percent of your peer group die every year,” Scott told me.

From Slate • Mar. 30, 2026

A lot of my peer group does not do that.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 11, 2026

I was no longer young for my peer group, nor did I walk around in gray sweatshirts with unlit cigarettes in my mouth.

From "Tuesdays with Morrie" by Mitch Albom