upward mobility

noun

: the capacity or facility for rising to a higher social or economic position
upwardly mobile adjective

Examples of upward mobility in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Without layers between manager and executive, upward mobility is limited. Ruth Umoh, Fortune, 9 Mar. 2026 But nowhere is the crisis hitting harder than in California, a state once synonymous with opportunity and upward mobility. Mike Garcia, Oc Register, 9 Mar. 2026 Private-sector employment that was mostly segregated began to integrate, and Black workers began landing skilled positions with upward mobility. Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 26 Feb. 2026 The surveys show widespread skepticism that governments can really fix problems like the affordability crisis, rising inequality, declining upward mobility, and stagnating or declining living standards. Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 10 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for upward mobility

Word History

First Known Use

1949, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of upward mobility was in 1949

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Cite this Entry

“Upward mobility.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upward%20mobility. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.

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