upward mobility

noun

: the capacity or facility for rising to a higher social or economic position
upwardly mobile adjective

Examples of upward mobility in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Sometimes, upward mobility could engender a spiritual hollowness. Han Zhang, New York Times, 3 Aug. 2023 Among teams that qualified for the NFL’s version of the Final Four last season, none of the others has anything close to Detroit’s upward mobility. Nate Davis, USA TODAY, 20 Feb. 2024 Join us for a compelling talk on turning these insights into opportunities for all, reigniting the pathway to upward mobility in America. David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Feb. 2024 Providing second chances leads to upward mobility for communities of color. The Sorenson Impact Institute, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2023 Without a connection to their workplace or any hope of upward mobility, top performers are more likely to leave their positions. Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 7 Feb. 2024 By cowering just behind Atlanta’s veneer of upward mobility and celebrity, mayors like Dickens effectively eschew valid critiques of their criminal legal system tactics. Essence, 10 Jan. 2024 Americans were slowly poisoned by the symbols of their upward mobility. Rachel Silverman Bonnifield, Foreign Affairs, 22 Jan. 2024 The son of working-class Jewish parents, Edward J. Blum made his career as a financial adviser and experienced the kind of upward mobility that American institutions were supposed to foster for talented children of modest means. Christian Schneider, National Review, 21 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'upward mobility.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1949, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of upward mobility was in 1949

Dictionary Entries Near upward mobility

Cite this Entry

“Upward mobility.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upward%20mobility. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on upward mobility

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