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midlife crisis
noun
: a period of emotional turmoil in middle age characterized especially by a strong desire for change
Examples of midlife crisis in a Sentence
We knew he was going through a midlife crisis when he bought a new sports car.
Recent Examples on the Web
Dance In its fifty-fifth year, Dance Theatre of Harlem is looking good, fully recovered after a kind of midlife crisis.
—The New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2024
The trouble is, a midlife crisis can hit just as retirement is becoming more real.
—Juli Fraga, New York Times, 20 Jan. 2024
Leo's midlife crisis comes via his aspirations for his son.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 21 Apr. 2023
She’s grown distant even from her best friend and neighbor, Hilary (Sarayu Blue), who’s in the throes of a midlife crisis amid her crumbling relationship with David (Jack Huston).
—Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Jan. 2024
The trio mirrored their dynamic on screen, with Kirk playing the grandfather who had just suffered a stroke and Michael playing a womanizer going through a midlife crisis who's trying to save his son — played by Cameron — from falling into some detrimental pitfalls.
—Stephanie Sengwe, Peoplemag, 21 Jan. 2024
In real life, though, a midlife crisis is rarely so obvious or dramatic, or the sole province of men.
—Juli Fraga, New York Times, 20 Jan. 2024
But nothing seems to be going right for Hank, who’s in the midst of a midlife crisis and seems dead set on burning his life down to the ground.
—Jennifer M. Wood, WIRED, 25 Dec. 2023
But when my 40-year-old aunt died, my parents engaged in radical grieving methods: having complete midlife crises, leaving their stable jobs, moving us 950 miles away to Nashville and opening a carwash.
—Ron Lieber, New York Times, 16 Dec. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'midlife crisis.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1965, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near midlife crisis
Cite this Entry
“Midlife crisis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/midlife%20crisis. Accessed 5 Jun. 2024.
Medical Definition
midlife crisis
noun
: a period of emotional turmoil in middle age caused by the realization that one is no longer young and characterized especially by a strong desire for change
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