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
Rob Toews, Forbes.com, 22 June 2026
The upstart upended Silicon Valley with its cost-effective open-source model last year, and is seen as leading Beijing’s race against the US.
—Tasneem Nashrulla, semafor.com, 16 June 2026
The largest field in tournament history gives its viewership a constant stream of group-stage action, ranging from global titans to spirited upstarts.
—Christopher Hamill, New York Times, 15 June 2026
At 14 years old, Candy Crush is a grizzled veteran, a heritage brand up against a thousand young upstarts.
—Kamal Ahmed, Fortune, 15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for upstart
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Noun
Time and time again in the history of technology, monopolistic industry leaders that long seemed invincible—from Xerox to IBM to AT&T—have proven vulnerable to agile upstarts and technology advances that broke markets wide open by lowering costs, expanding supply and leapfrogging capabilities.
—Rob Toews, Forbes.com, 22 June 2026
The upstart upended Silicon Valley with its cost-effective open-source model last year, and is seen as leading Beijing’s race against the US.
—Tasneem Nashrulla, semafor.com, 16 June 2026
The largest field in tournament history gives its viewership a constant stream of group-stage action, ranging from global titans to spirited upstarts.
—Christopher Hamill, New York Times, 15 June 2026
At 14 years old, Candy Crush is a grizzled veteran, a heritage brand up against a thousand young upstarts.
—Kamal Ahmed, Fortune, 15 June 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 24 Jun. 2026.
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