Meaning & use
baby boomer
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable
a person born during a period when many babies were born, especially after World War II
Grammar: Countable: 'a baby boomer', 'two baby boomers'. Often used in the plural to refer to the whole group.
Patterns
- a baby boomer
- baby boomers
- the baby boomer generation
My grandparents are baby boomers; they were born in the late 1940s.
Baby boomers make up a large share of the population in many countries.
As baby boomers retire, companies are looking for younger workers.
Word forms
| plural | baby boomers |
|---|
Common combinations
- the baby boomer generation
- The baby boomer generation has had a big impact on housing markets.
- a typical baby boomer
- A typical baby boomer grew up without smartphones or the internet.
- baby boomers retire
- As baby boomers retire, there are fewer workers paying taxes.
- the oldest baby boomers
- The oldest baby boomers are now in their late seventies.
Synonyms and how they differ
- boomer
- Informal and sometimes disapproving; use 'baby boomer' in neutral or formal writing.
Word family
- baby boom noun
- the period when many babies are born
Commonly confused: baby boomer or baby boom?
baby boomer vs baby boom
A baby boomer is a person; a baby boom is the event or period.
Practice
Many ___________ are now retiring and leaving the workforce.
Choose one answer.
The subject is people, so the plural 'baby boomers' is correct. 'Baby boom' is an event, not a person.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “baby boomer”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.