upstart

1 of 2

verb

up·​start ˌəp-ˈstärt 

upstarted; upstarting; upstarts

intransitive verb

: to jump up (as to one's feet) suddenly

upstart

2 of 2

noun

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

upstart

ˈəp-ˈstärt 

adjective

Synonyms of upstart

Noun

• arriviste
• parvenu
• adventurer
• nouveau riche

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

Noun

Yet the company faces stiffer competition from a wide range of rivals, including big-box retailers like Walmart, online players like Amazon and upstarts like TikTok Shop. —Melissa Repko, CNBC, 4 Dec. 2025

Much of that money is being spent on just 10 companies that are all interlocked, with the big companies investing in the AI upstarts, which in turn pump money back into them by buying their products or services. —Alyson Shontell, Fortune, 3 Dec. 2025

However, some airlines are considering turning to a Chinese upstart, which made a splashy debut last month at the world’s biggest airshow. —Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 3 Dec. 2025

The Panthers are a surprise this season, competing for a playoff spot, but an upstart nonetheless. —Adam Grosbard, Oc Register, 29 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for upstart

• apart
• depart
• flowchart
• forepart
• impart
• pushcart
• rampart
• redstart
• restart
• subpart
• sweetheart
• art

Kids Definition

upstart

noun

up·​start

ˈəp-ˌstärt

: a person who has risen suddenly (as from a low position to wealth or power)

especially : one who makes a great show of success