MIDDLE CLASS Synonyms: 83 Similar and Opposite Words

middle-class 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of middle-class

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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Dissimilar Words

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

As tuition climbed, America quietly transformed many middle-class careers into graduate professions. — Richard Fowler, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026 Moreover, more students from middle-class backgrounds use vouchers. — Kendall Deas, The Conversation, 6 July 2026

Noun

Many fans believe that the middle class would see increases, as well, but clubs would still prioritize the best players with the highest salaries. — Maury Brown, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026 Vouchers benefit more students from middle class families – students with a prior record of achievement and motivation to achieve academic success. — Kendall Deas, The Conversation, 6 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for middle-class

Recent Examples of Synonyms for middle-class

Adjective

Prolonged exposure to heat can lead to insufficient or poor sleep, compromising the immune system, increasing the risk for cardiovascular disease and diminishing cognitive performance.

— Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 13 July 2026
On top of this, subterranean drip systems often clog with mineral deposits, sediment, and algae, which Nad warns may eventually require repairs or replacement of portions of the system, particularly in areas with hard water or poor filtration.

— Kamron Sanders, The Spruce, 13 July 2026

Definition of poor

Noun

The Oscar nominee stars as Wat Tyler, an ordinary peasant who steps up to lead an extraordinary fight against King Richard II after crushing taxes and political oppression push the country’s working class to a breaking point.

— Sophie Miller, Rolling Stone, 16 July 2026
But there's just no chance any working class American east of the Mississippi (or south of the Mason-Dixon) saw Ryan Blaney win.

— Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 13 July 2026

Definition of working class

Adjective

In sharp contrast to the first-generation members of the Frankfurt School, Habermas came from a petit-bourgeois, culturally conservative Protestant milieu, his family name going back to sixteenth-century Thuringian cobblers.

— Alex Ross, New Yorker, 15 June 2026
Their attempts to destroy the bourgeois family were, like the efforts of Suzanna’s mother and grandmother, ambivalent and half-hearted.

— Julius Taranto, The Atlantic, 1 June 2026

Definition of bourgeois

Noun

For a long time, the lifestyles and foibles of the modest bourgeoisie were a mainstay of art-house cinema, with urbane, upscale audiences happy to turn out to see versions of their own lives depicted on the screen.

— Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2026
The town next door, Maplewood, built walls and created one-way streets to direct the flow of traffic coming in and out of Newark and Irvington to protect its fading notion bourgeoisie exclusivity.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 June 2026

Definition of bourgeoisie

Adjective

Yamal was raised in Rocafonda, a working-class area of Mataro, just up the coast from Barcelona.

— Jack Lang, New York Times, 18 July 2026
Just a few years ago, Yamal was a teenager growing up in Spain’s working-class neighborhood of Rocafonda; he’s been training for this day since he was scouted at six years old.

— Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 16 July 2026

Definition of working-class

Browse Nearby Words

middle-agers

middle-class

middle class

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Middle-class.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/middle-class. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of middle-class

adjective

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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