parvenus

Definition of parvenusnext
plural of parvenu
as in arrivistes
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for parvenus
Noun
  • Certainly there’s a long and distinguished tradition of associating Jewish arrivistes with entrepreneurialism, avarice, and clannishness.
    Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • YouTube in particular has become the home in many ways for late night, with both the network shows and wholly original digital upstarts battling for their share of the conversation.
    Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 23 Jan. 2026
  • Major college football has long been a uniquely hostile sport for upstarts.
    Jason Kirk, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry

“Parvenus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/parvenus. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.

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