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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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
Within premium products, there is a focus on longevity attributes in skin care and elegant, sophisticated makeup products among mature middle-class consumers. — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026 Jay, Tony, Saahil and Sameer come from middle-class homes, and each is weighed down by family duties while hoping for something better. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
Noun
India’s rapidly growing middle class is increasingly eager for international travel, and Chapman says there is a strong draw toward destinations with deep Hindu heritage. — Lilit Marcus, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026 Economic liberalization in the 1990s strengthened that belief, with the expansion of information technology and engineering sectors creating new opportunities for an emerging middle class. — Aakash Hassan, Christian Science Monitor, 1 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
  • Measles usually kills two or three people in every 1,000 cases, the WHO says, but the disease can be more deadly in poorer nations because of factors such as malnutrition.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2026
  • That receiver sends that poor defender into next week at the pylon.
    — Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 17 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
  • President Donald Trump‘s appearance in Youngstown, Ohio, on Monday underlines the Mahoning Valley as a bellwether of whether Democrats can win back the white, working-class voters that have rapidly shifted away from the party in recent years.
    — Naomi Lim, The Washington Examiner, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The memoirs of twentieth-century working-class politicians across the Western world echo with testimonies to the power of words.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 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 20 Oct. 2026.

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