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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Lack of affordable housing, child care access and health care are among the main factors preventing single mothers from accessing upward mobility, according to the report. Lina Ruiz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Nov. 2025 The long-standing promise that hard work guarantees upward mobility no longer holds the same weight—just look at the fact that younger generations are unable to buy homes, and the research which has found that people in their 20s and 30s are having fewer children than in the past. Hannah Nwoko, Parents, 11 Nov. 2025 There’s her character Maia, an overachieving perfectionist who is white knuckling her way through her career despite few connections and a boss who is not all that concerned with her upward mobility. Katie Campione, Deadline, 2 Nov. 2025 In football, the programs are middle-class, capable of both upward mobility and collapse. Scott Dochterman, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Upward mobility.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upward%20mobility. Accessed 17 Nov. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on upward mobility

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!