Definition of parvenunext
as in arriviste
one who has recently acquired wealth and social position the kind of trophy house that a parvenu buys to prove to people, and to himself, that he has indeed arrived

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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 parvenu Spurrier, who predominantly sold French vintages, wasn’t expecting anything other than a trouncing for the parvenu. — Charlie Campbell, Time, 25 May 2026 Raveendran, at least on paper, assumes his place among those parvenus thanks to his effort in internet education. — Saritha Rai, Fortune, 29 July 2019 Well, rejecting the pretensions of the peacocking parvenu is one of the sweetest pleasures left to the fallen aristocrat. — Lili Anolik, Vanities, 19 June 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for parvenu
Noun
  • Charm is what turns the arriviste’s effort into a social gift.
    — Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026
  • And yet, the digital arrivistes could only gain so much traction with a broader customer base and needed a boost from tie-ins with old-school counterparts.
    — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 20 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The power of those two songs catapulted Kings of Leon from hellraising upstarts who opened for rock giants like U2, the Rolling Stones, and Pearl Jam in the mid-aughts to global stardom.
    — Daniel Kohn, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Many of these upstarts have historically been quick to parlay a buzzy name and big bankroll into an initial slate of projects, generally centered around its athlete founder.
    — Justin Birnbaum, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • And all of this comes on the heels of the glitzy opening of the Six Senses Crans-Montana ski-in, ski-out resort, and the nouveau riche crowd that comes with it.
    — Jennifer Leigh Parker, Forbes.com, 4 May 2026
  • Vandelli thinks Stilley is nouveau riche; Stilley thinks Vandelli is a bully.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 1 May 2026
Noun
  • In 1754, Pennsylvania adventurer Arthur Buchanan bought 200 acres in an Indian village from a Lenape chief.
    — Scott Baldauf, Christian Science Monitor, 17 Sep. 2026
  • His Ian is a man who loves life — the life of a British celebrity, an erotic adventurer, and an actor who’s gifted and ambitious enough to think of himself as an artist.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Parvenu.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/parvenu. Accessed 26 Sep. 2026.

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