squeezed middle
noun[S,+sing/pl verb]
politicsUKspecializeduk/ˌskwiːzd ˈmɪd.əl/us/ˌskwiːzd ˈmɪd.əl/thegroupofpeopleinsocietywho are not on verylowincomesbut have lessmoneythan before tobuythe things they need becausepriceshaverisenbuttheirincomeshavestayedthe same:
Thesqueezedmiddlefeelthat they areexperiencingas mucheconomicpressureastheirworking-classneighbours.
Theproposalwilldrivethousands ofpoorandsqueezedmiddlefamiliesout oftheirhomesindesirableareas.
- They own acateringcompany, but it isstrugglingand theyconsiderthemselvesmembersof thesqueezedmiddle.
- They werewarnedtoignoreEngland'ssqueezedmiddlevotersattheirperil.
- The hollowing out ofemploymentandstagnationofwagesinmediumskilledbutroutineworkhasresultedin thesqueezedmiddlephenomenon.
Ordinary people
- banausic
- community
- Essex girl
- everyman
- grassroots
- John Doe
- John Q. Public
- man/woman of the peopleidiom
- mass
- mass market
- mortal
- omnibus
- popular
- popularly
- prole
- public
- rabble
- the common manidiom
- the man/woman in the streetidiom
- the man/woman on the Clapham omnibusidiom