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
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When expectation and reality part ways for a cohort that’s been raised on the assumption of upward mobility—when elites start to sink, and reform is blocked—the political waters get very rough, often leading to social disintegration and unrest.
—
George Packer, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for upward mobility
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George Packer, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for upward mobility
Cite this Entry
“Upward mobility.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upward%20mobility. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
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