upstart

1 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

upstart

2 of 2

verb

up·​start ˌəp-ˈstärt 

upstarted; upstarting; upstarts

intransitive verb

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

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

The power of those two songs catapulted Kings of Leon from hellraising upstarts who opened for rock giants like U2, the Rolling Stones, and Pearl Jam in the mid-aughts to global stardom. — Daniel Kohn, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026

Many of these upstarts have historically been quick to parlay a buzzy name and big bankroll into an initial slate of projects, generally centered around its athlete founder. — Justin Birnbaum, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2026

Good Good was preparing to lend its name to a PGA Tour tournament this fall, a major coup for a digital upstart that had grown into one of the dominant forces in YouTube golf, with more than 2 million subscribers. — Rick Maese, Washington Post, 28 Aug. 2026

The ecommerce upstart, which quickly outstripped legacy rivals like H&M and Zara in online apparel sales during the pandemic, saw its New York, then London, listing aspirations unravel amid mounting regulatory and political scrutiny. — Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 25 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

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