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 California’s new $20-an-hour minimum wage for fast-food workers has again sparked a familiar debate about upward mobility. Nic Dunn, National Review, 2 May 2024 At the Georgia International Convention Center, according to the New York Times, Harris spoke to some 400 people about how the administration is working to help Black businesses and improve the upward mobility of historically disadvantaged groups. Todd Spangler, Detroit Free Press, 2 May 2024 Yet many former residents of the GDR nonetheless feel nostalgia for its less stressful lifestyle, lack of commercialism, full employment, gender equality, low cost of living, sense of collective identity, social stability, and, interestingly, upward mobility. Katja Hoyer, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024 Still others suggest surveys increasingly reflect a society riven by persistent inequality and lagging upward mobility. Laurent Belsie, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 Feb. 2024 Policies to help our brothers and sisters should promote wellness and upward mobility to help people find their way home. Rachel Sheffield, The Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2024 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

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 12 May. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on upward mobility

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