middle-aged
middle-aged — adjective
1. at the stage of life when people have left their youth behind but are not yet el
at the stage of life when people have left their youth behind but are not yet elderly, commonly considered the years from around 45 to 65.
Ezra, a middle-aged teacher from Taiwan, started learning guitar at 50.
The clinic offers free check-ups for middle-aged patients every March.
attributive: middle-aged + noun (patients)
Min's parents are both middle-aged and still work on their farm daily.
A middle-aged woman sat on the park bench reading a thick novel.
Tariq joined a hiking group for middle-aged adults who love the outdoors.
- in one's forties or fifties
more precise about the decade rather than the life stage
- past one's youth
descriptive phrase rather than a single adjective
- no longer young
emphasises that youth is over without specifying a range
文法句型
be + middle-aged
middle-aged + noun
用法筆記
Frequently used before a noun (a middle-aged man, middle-aged women) but also common after a linking verb (she is middle-aged). The exact age boundaries are flexible and vary by culture.
常見錯誤
2. having or showing a cautious, conservative attitude that suggests a lack of yout
having or showing a cautious, conservative attitude that suggests a lack of youthful energy, enthusiasm, or willingness to try new things.
Liang's middle-aged attitude made him refuse every new restaurant his friends suggested.
attributive: middle-aged attitude toward new things
Élise's middle-aged taste in music meant she only listened to songs from the 1990s.
The team's middle-aged approach to design killed any chance of innovation.
Samir called his uncle's fashion sense middle-aged and hopelessly out of date.
Ayesha could not stand the middle-aged conversations about lawn care and traffic.
- old-fashioned
broader term that applies to any generation, does not specifically link to middle age
- conservative
focuses on caution and resistance to change rather than age stereotypes
- stuffy
informal, suggests being overly formal and lacking fresh ideas
- youthful
full of the energy and enthusiasm associated with young people
- adventurous
willing to try new experiences without caution
- trendy
following modern styles and fashions
文法句型
middle-aged + noun (attitude, approach, taste)
be + middle-aged
用法筆記
Often used to criticise a person's choices or mindset rather than their actual age — a 25-year-old can have a middle-aged attitude. Carries a dismissive or mocking tone.