ageism

noun

age·​ism ˈā-(ˌ)ji-zəm How to pronounce ageism (audio)
variants or less commonly
: prejudice or discrimination against a particular age-group and especially the elderly
ageist adjective
or less commonly agist

Examples of ageism in a Sentence

He accused his former employer of ageism when he lost his job to a younger man.
Recent Examples on the Web Still, ageism is on Reid’s mind; a lurking problem, with no clear solution. Amanda Hoover, WIRED, 13 Mar. 2024 Not that gendered ageism is exclusive to my professional worlds, of course. Kirbie Johnson, Allure, 6 Mar. 2024 For older job applicants, ageism can lie a Zoom call away. USA TODAY, 11 Feb. 2024 While the employment of older workers has increased, there are still challenges, such as income disparities and ageism in the workplace. Jack Kelly, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 And in the same way that ageism against women was really a disquisition on femininity, the broad obsession with President Biden’s age speaks to our vision of masculinity. Robin Givhan, Washington Post, 13 Feb. 2024 Instead, viewers can expect a superficial commentary on ageism and the ongoing conflict between older and younger generations in the form of a typical '80s-style, B-grade action film. Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 12 Jan. 2024 Start Smart – Measure the Impact (& Potential) The temptation and the call being heard in many discussions is to add ‘age’ and ‘ageism’ to the already long list of diversity dimensions. Avivah Wittenberg-Cox, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 Potential victims of ageism can be tricky to identify, let alone defend. USA TODAY, 11 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ageism.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

age entry 1 + -ism (as in racism)

First Known Use

1969, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ageism was in 1969

Dictionary Entries Near ageism

Cite this Entry

“Ageism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ageism. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

ageism

noun
age·​ism ˈā-(ˌ)jiz-əm How to pronounce ageism (audio)
: prejudice or discrimination against people of a particular age and especially against the elderly
ageist
-jist
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on ageism

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