up·per-class
ˌə-pər-ˈklas 
-ˈkläs
: of, relating to, or characteristic of the highest social class in a society
: 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
Samira Mehta, The Conversation, 8 Dec. 2025
But by the 1520s, the birds were being raised in Spain and served on the dinner tables of the upper-class, Smith writes.
—Natalie Escobar, NPR, 26 Nov. 2025
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
Among the middle and upper classes, music was generally seen as a female accomplishment, and teaching its rudiments to children was typically left to mothers, governesses, or schoolmistresses.
—JSTOR Daily, 26 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for upper-class
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Adjective
Even in the 20th century, scholars such as Yaniv Feller have found, many middle- and upper-class German Jews embraced a secular Christmas, complete with a tree, a traditional dinner and presents.
—Samira Mehta, The Conversation, 8 Dec. 2025
But by the 1520s, the birds were being raised in Spain and served on the dinner tables of the upper-class, Smith writes.
—Natalie Escobar, NPR, 26 Nov. 2025
Noun
After Jack sells his alarm clock for the modern equivalent of nearly $20 million, he’s launched into the upper class and must figure out how to live as a wealthy entrepreneur.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
Among the middle and upper classes, music was generally seen as a female accomplishment, and teaching its rudiments to children was typically left to mothers, governesses, or schoolmistresses.
—JSTOR Daily, 26 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for upper-class
Cite this Entry
“Upper-class.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upper-class. Accessed 18 Dec. 2025.
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