up·start
ˈəp-ˌstärt 
1
: one that has risen suddenly (as from a low position to wealth or power) : parvenu
especially
: one that claims more personal importance than is warranted
2
: a start-up enterprise
Examples of upstart in a Sentence
Noun
a young upstart from Harvard who thinks he knows more than the boss
having made their money in oil decades ago, they consider these billionaire dot-commers mere upstarts
Recent Examples on the Web
Andrea Domanick, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2026
Not too long ago, traditional companies rushed to strike alliances with a host of digital upstarts including Vice, Buzzfeed and Vox.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 20 Apr. 2026
In their place are upstarts such as the Philadelphia Flyers, who last qualified in 2020.
—John Wawrow, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 Apr. 2026
That's when the upstarts take over, and the once-revolutionary companies face the risk of becoming relics.
—Chris Anderson, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for upstart
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
Sets from upstarts like Creepy Nuts, Pawsa, Geese and Slayyyter, along with emphatic crowds at rock heavyweights like Jack White, Turnstile and even Sombr, traded seamlessness and precision for immediacy and friction — louder, looser, more physical in ways that were best felt than watched.
—Andrea Domanick, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2026
Not too long ago, traditional companies rushed to strike alliances with a host of digital upstarts including Vice, Buzzfeed and Vox.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 20 Apr. 2026
In their place are upstarts such as the Philadelphia Flyers, who last qualified in 2020.
—John Wawrow, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 Apr. 2026
That's when the upstarts take over, and the once-revolutionary companies face the risk of becoming relics.
—Chris Anderson, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for upstart
Cite this Entry
“Upstart.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upstart. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
