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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as in working class
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of middle-class
Literary Hub, 2 Mar. 2026
When his job applications for new positions go nowhere, and his family starts feeling the squeeze to their comfortable middle-class life, Man-su starts killing his fellow candidates to boost his chances of finding work.
—Sarah Jackson, CNBC, 28 Feb. 2026
Kayla Huynh, jsonline.com, 6 Mar. 2026
In decades past, China’s ascendent middle class flocked to booming megacities to chase jobs and dreams, once abundant as the country went from rags to riches.
—Albee Zhang, Fortune, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for middle-class
Adjective
For someone raised in a lower-middle-class, stigmatized community, holding back seemed quite sensible.
—Literary Hub, 2 Mar. 2026
When his job applications for new positions go nowhere, and his family starts feeling the squeeze to their comfortable middle-class life, Man-su starts killing his fellow candidates to boost his chances of finding work.
—Sarah Jackson, CNBC, 28 Feb. 2026
Noun
The northwest side is home to some of Milwaukee’s most diverse neighborhoods and tends to include working or lower-middle class residents, according to research from Marquette University Law School.
—Kayla Huynh, jsonline.com, 6 Mar. 2026
In decades past, China’s ascendent middle class flocked to booming megacities to chase jobs and dreams, once abundant as the country went from rags to riches.
—Albee Zhang, Fortune, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for middle-class
Recent Examples of Synonyms for middle-class
Adjective
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City officials say the long-term leases make buying Liberty Station a poor investment for any potential buyer other than Seligman.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 Mar. 2026
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Further, according to the paper, when supply tightens, richer nations outbid poorer ones for scarce shipments, exacerbating challenges for vulnerable economies.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Does Varley see herself as working class?—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
3 Mar. 2026
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Le Corbusier’s working class housing complex, Cité Radieuse, which was part of the architect’s social housing habitat Unité d’Habitation, is often referred to as the catalyst for the style.—
Katherine McLaughlin,
Architectural Digest,
2 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Both of his arms are in the sleeves, and his bourgeois father is kneeling on the floor, taking the shirt in order to conserve it, perhaps saving it from being soiled.—
Theo Belci,
Artforum,
27 Feb. 2026
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In a more simplistic story, Derya and Aziz’s efforts to find a good private school for their daughter would come off as a hopeless bourgeois indulgence.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Wake-Robin gets its name from a deep purple wildflower native to the Mid-Atlantic, which, from Richmond, Virginia, to Philadelphia, was the hub of the Black bourgeoisie.—
Merlisa Lawrence Corbett,
USA Today,
27 Feb. 2026
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Woodcutters sets forth the musings of a narrator sitting in an armchair at a dinner party who excoriates the literary awards establishments of his native land (and by extension all lands that are host to a robust bourgeoisie).—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Steel-ball tree The new invention includes simple parts, such as a hollow cylinder packed with solid steel balls and a central shaft lined with radial, branch-like rods.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Mar. 2026
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January 20 – February 18 When purpose meets resources, progress becomes simple.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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In this moving comedic drama set in postwar Rome, a working-class woman dreams of a better future for herself and her daughter while facing abuse at the hands of her patriarchal husband.—
Ut Community Press,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Mar. 2026
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For generations the park has served as a cultural and recreational hub for the largely Latino working-class neighborhood, with a lake, playgrounds, sports fields and a band shell that hosts concerts and community events.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
6 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Middle-class.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/middle-class. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
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