upper-class

1 of 2

adjective

up·​per-class ˌə-pər-ˈklas How to pronounce upper-class (audio)
-ˈkläs
Synonyms of upper-classnext
: of, relating to, or characteristic of the highest social class in a society

upper class

2 of 2

noun

: a social class occupying a position above the middle class and having the highest status in a society

Examples of upper-class in a Sentence

Adjective upper-class boys who had an entrenched sense of entitlement Noun a popular pastime among the upper classes a member of the upper class
Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective
In simple terms, his mother and her second husband had raised him an an upper-class Brit, hence his easy entree into London’s theater scene and his ability to cut a dashing path. Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2026 Built up in the 1870s as a resort for nuclear families, Fire Island was destroyed by a hurricane in the 1930s, which quickly chased away its upper-class vacationers. Air Mail, 23 May 2026
Noun
For Hollywood’s upper class of creatives, the best version of their films may now include AI. Corbin Bolies, Variety, 3 June 2026 The throughline of his life is his on-again, off-again friendship with, but also his steadfast love for a neighbor girl of the upper class, who challenges him repeatedly to become his better self. The Know, Denver Post, 31 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for upper-class

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1837, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1814, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of upper-class was in 1814

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Cite this Entry

“Upper-class.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upper-class. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

upper class

noun
: the highest class in society
upper-class adjective
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