as in parvenu
one who has recently acquired wealth and social position
the town's old money immediately shunned these vulgar arrivistes, who may have had the cash but certainly not the class
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of arriviste
The underdog pick is Cousin Greg (Nicholas Braun), an ingenuous arriviste who, long-limbed and blunder-prone, provides much of the show’s comic relief.
—
Naomi Fry, The New Yorker, 1 Nov. 2021
Three years ago, Gaga got dinged for being an Oscars arriviste; there could have been a hundred people in the room and not enough of them voted for her in Best Actress.
—Nate Jones, Vulture, 30 Sep. 2021
But every now and then even captains of industry get taken by surprise, and lately they’ve been kept on their toes by a barrage of novel financial vehicles and the arriviste investors driving up their value.
—Emily Stewart, Town & Country, 3 June 2021
Though the indigenous Jewish often preserved their own customs (e.g., Romaniotes), by and large they were absorbed by the arriviste Sephardim.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 17 Jan. 2011
See All Example Sentences for arriviste
Naomi Fry, The New Yorker, 1 Nov. 2021
Three years ago, Gaga got dinged for being an Oscars arriviste; there could have been a hundred people in the room and not enough of them voted for her in Best Actress.
—Nate Jones, Vulture, 30 Sep. 2021
But every now and then even captains of industry get taken by surprise, and lately they’ve been kept on their toes by a barrage of novel financial vehicles and the arriviste investors driving up their value.
—Emily Stewart, Town & Country, 3 June 2021
Though the indigenous Jewish often preserved their own customs (e.g., Romaniotes), by and large they were absorbed by the arriviste Sephardim.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 17 Jan. 2011
See All Example Sentences for arriviste
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arriviste
Noun
-
In 1952, backed by little more than his reputation as a war hero and a fortune staked by his parvenu father, 35-year-old John F. Kennedy swiped a Senate seat from Republican Henry Cabot Lodge, himself a wealthy combat veteran.—
Kevin Mahnken,
The New Republic,
1 Sep. 2020
-
Raveendran, at least on paper, assumes his place among those parvenus thanks to his effort in internet education.—
Saritha Rai,
Fortune,
29 July 2019
Noun
-
Premier League strugglers Tottenham Hotspur face Atletico Madrid while Norwegian upstarts Bodo/Glimt — who have beaten City, Atletico and Inter Milan this season — take on Portugal’s Sporting Lisbon.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
27 Feb. 2026
-
In part, the contest echoes the challenge from populist upstarts faced by mainstream parties around the world.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Henry Haselock is a qualified expedition leader, adventurer and fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.—
Henry Haselock,
TheWeek,
27 Feb. 2026
-
An adventurer, Harrison stowed away on a cruise ship bound for Waikiki, but was discovered and returned to the mainland.—
Laylan Connelly,
Oc Register,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Arriviste.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arriviste. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
