middle-class 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of middle-classnext
as in poor
belonging to the class of people of middle social or economic rank She grew up in a middle-class neighborhood, as did most of her classmates.

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Dissimilar Words

middle class

2 of 2

noun

as in working class

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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 middle-class
Adjective
The three leads rightly received Best Actress honors in the Un Certain Regard section for their raw portrayal of the headstrong women at the center of an unraveling middle-class family in San José, Costa Rica. — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 20 Oct. 2026 How do two middle-class lads in ratty threads, who might very well have both been played by Robert Pattinson, fast-track an appointment with Jesus? — Gabriel Szatan, Pitchfork, 18 Oct. 2026
Noun
Our current administration is focused more on rewarding the 1% with tax breaks than supporting our middle class. — Wcco Staff, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026 By 2030, another 400 million people will enter the middle class, with half that number coming from China and India. — Jenny B. Fine, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for middle-class
Recent Examples of Synonyms for middle-class
  1. poor
  2. working class
  3. bourgeois
  4. bourgeoisie
  5. simple
  6. working-class
Adjective
  • Disease that has spread to those organs is associated with poorer treatment outcomes.
    — Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2026
  • They were frustrated with teacher shortages and poor conditions at schools, including overcrowded classrooms and dilapidated buildings.
    — James Cirrone , Brittany Miller, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of poor
Noun
  • Based on conversations with constituents from our district, this economy has gotten worse for working class families.
    — Josh Bergeron, Charlotte Observer, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The film is an ensemble piece, following two married couples — one working class, the other wealthy — who cross paths during the production of a documentary.
    — Joe Reid, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of working class
Adjective
  • Doctrinaire critics accused her of being bourgeois, formalist, decadent.
    — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Its formless body accommodated slouching, lounging or lying down, selling freedom from both conventional posture and the bourgeois living room.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of bourgeois
Noun
  • When the arcade first opened, Europe was navigating industrialization, the rise of the urban bourgeoisie, and the emergence of modern ready-to-wear fashion.
    — Eleonora Giordani, Vogue, 17 Sep. 2026
  • The state discovered that reforms had to be beneficial to all, and so the political mission had to be implementing education and acculturation as a means of solidifying the nascent bourgeoisie.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of bourgeoisie
Adjective
  • The best power pop is simple, direct, and memorable, in both words and sound.
    — Jeff Yerger, Pitchfork, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The lack of close coordination between these simple details undermines the structure’s coherence and intent.
    — Edward Keegan, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of simple
Adjective
  • Furthermore, placing this burden on co-op boards threatens the financial stability of entire building communities, risking maintenance fee hikes for working-class residents.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The path of the pipeline, owned by Valero and Plains All American Pipeline, was intended to snake through Boxtown, a working-class Black community in South Memphis.
    — Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of working-class

Browse Nearby Words

middle-agers
middle-class
middle class
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Cite this Entry

“Middle-class.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/middle-class. Accessed 25 Oct. 2026.

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