glass ceiling
an invisible barrier blocking promotion, especially for women
What it means
A glass ceiling is an invisible barrier in a workplace or industry that prevents women and members of other underrepresented groups from rising to senior positions, even though no formal rule blocks them. The phrase is core vocabulary in discussions of gender equality, diversity in leadership, and corporate policy.
Words like “glass ceiling” are exactly the kind of vocabulary our English vocabulary size test measures — find out how many English words you know.
Examples
- She broke the glass ceiling by becoming the first female CEO of the firm.
- The glass ceiling is still very real in many industries.
- Mentorship programs aim to help women crack the glass ceiling.
- Reports on the glass ceiling show progress, but slow progress.
Where it comes from
American business jargon from the early 1980s. Consultant Marilyn Loden used the image in a 1978 panel discussion, and journalists Carol Hymowitz and Timothy Schellhardt popularized 'glass ceiling' in a 1986 Wall Street Journal article on women in corporate management.
Related idioms
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