C1idiomworkIELTS-friendly
the glass ceiling
USUK
an invisible barrier that stops women or minorities from reaching the top jobs
'Break' or 'shatter' the glass ceiling means overcome the barrier. Mostly about gender, sometimes race or age. Common in newspapers and reports.
In context
Few women at the bank have broken through the glass ceiling to join the board.
She says there is still a glass ceiling in many firms, even if nobody admits it.
More idioms about work
- a baptism of firea very difficult first experience of a new job or activity
- a cushy joba job that is easy and pleasant but still pays well
- a dead-end joba job with no chance of promotion or of learning anything new
- a jack of all tradesa person who can do many different kinds of work fairly well
- a labour of lovehard work that you do because you enjoy it or care about it, not for money