WordGarden.iofortyish
A1Pronunciation
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Meanings
Adjective
about forty years old
approximately forty in number or amount
Beyond the definition
"Fortyish" does not mean exactly forty. It usually describes a person who seems to be around forty, maybe in their late thirties or early forties. People use it when the exact age is not known or does not matter. In a story, for example, you might say a man was "fortyish" to give a quick picture without stopping to be exact.
The word "fortyish" is an informal, imprecise way to say that someone or something is around forty. Most often, it refers to a person's age or appearance: someone who looks "fortyish" seems to be about forty, not exactly that age. It is useful when the speaker wants to be approximate rather than exact.
It often appears in conversation and in narrative writing. A writer might describe a woman as "fortyish" to give the reader a general sense of her age without fixing it precisely. In the same way, someone might say a price was "fortyish dollars," meaning around forty dollars. The word can also be used for other things connected to the number forty, though talking about age is the most common use.
The word itself does not automatically suggest a particular personality, mood, or lifestyle. It simply gives a rough estimate. That is why it works well when precision is unnecessary: it sounds natural, light, and a little conversational. Whether it points to a person's age, an amount of money, or another quantity, "fortyish" means roughly forty rather than exactly forty.
Examples
- 1
Age estimate
I thought the new teacher was fortyish, but she said she had just turned thirty-eight.
- 2
Casting
They hired a fortyish actor to play the children's father.
- 3
Audience
The podcast seems especially popular with fortyish listeners who grew up in the 1990s.
See also
Similar
- about forty
- around forty
- fortysomething
Shades of meaning
- pushing forty
- middle-aged
Contrast
- exactly forty
- late thirties
Used with (collocations)
- fortyish man
- fortyish woman
- looks fortyish
- fortyish years old
Word family
- -ish
- forty
Explore
- age approximation
- forties
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- fortyish