forty-something
Past youth's prime
Forty-something describes a person in their forties, or that age range itself.
The vagueness is the point—it acknowledges middle age while declining to specify exactly where: She's forty-something and just started a new career.
The pattern extends to other decades: thirty-something, fifty-something.
Sometimes hyphenated, sometimes not.
In life's middle decades
- midlifeHalfway through adulthood
- crisisDecisive dangerous moment
- reinventionComplete self-transformation
- transitionChange from one state
reflection · nostalgia · settling · established · aging · health-conscious · presbyopia · menopause
Lifelong occupational pursuit
- parenthoodState of having children
- mortgageSecured home loan
- homeownershipLegally possessing residential property
- tuitionPayment for instruction
healthcare · investments · savings · promotion · networking · professionalism · relocation · stability
Practical knowledge from life
- maturityFull growth achieved
- wisdomGood judgment from experience
- judgmentReasoned decision-making capacity
- self-awarenessInsight into one's psyche
discernment · perspective · sophistication · composure · confidence · accomplishment · fulfillment · growth
Those who avoid effort
- grungeAccumulated dirt or filth
- nirvanaRelease from cyclical existence
- cynicismDistrust of human sincerity
- independenceFreedom from external control
middle-aged
In life's middle decades
- midlifeHalfway through adulthood
- crisisDecisive dangerous moment
- reinventionComplete self-transformation
transition · reflection · nostalgia · settling · established · aging · health-conscious · presbyopia · menopause · andropause
career
Lifelong occupational pursuit
- parenthoodState of having children
- mortgageSecured home loan
- homeownershipLegally possessing residential property
tuition · healthcare · investments · savings · promotion · networking · professionalism · relocation · stability · juggling
experience
Practical knowledge from life
- maturityFull growth achieved
- wisdomGood judgment from experience
- judgmentReasoned decision-making capacity
self-awareness · discernment · perspective · sophistication · composure · confidence · accomplishment · fulfillment · growth · mentorship
slackers
Those who avoid effort
forty-somethinginfant
Very young child
newborn · teenage · twenty-something · adolescent · child
forty, something, fourth, forties, somethings, fourteen, fourteenth, fourfold