as in elitist
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Recent Examples of social climber
From the dynastic Dupree family to the conniving social climbers bent on usurping their place at the top of the social hierarchy, the historic new daytime drama is all about its characters.
—
Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 7 Mar. 2025
Where Huang’s wardrobe for Oz emphasizes his position as a clumsy social climber, aspiring to classic mafia masculinity but too crass to fit in with the old-money elite, Sofia represents a different kind of outsider.
—Gavia Baker-Whitelaw, Vulture, 4 Nov. 2024
Smith starred as Joyce Chilvers, a small-town social climber in postwar Northern England whose hunger to be accepted by the elite locals isn’t helped by her dotty mother nor her underachieving podiatrist husband Gilbert, played by Michael Palin.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Sep. 2024
Turning Merchant Ivory into eminent Victorians rather than complexly conflicted social climbers actually distances them from us, and that’s merely for Millennial convenience.
—Armond White, National Review, 4 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for social climber
Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 7 Mar. 2025
Where Huang’s wardrobe for Oz emphasizes his position as a clumsy social climber, aspiring to classic mafia masculinity but too crass to fit in with the old-money elite, Sofia represents a different kind of outsider.
—Gavia Baker-Whitelaw, Vulture, 4 Nov. 2024
Smith starred as Joyce Chilvers, a small-town social climber in postwar Northern England whose hunger to be accepted by the elite locals isn’t helped by her dotty mother nor her underachieving podiatrist husband Gilbert, played by Michael Palin.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Sep. 2024
Turning Merchant Ivory into eminent Victorians rather than complexly conflicted social climbers actually distances them from us, and that’s merely for Millennial convenience.
—Armond White, National Review, 4 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for social climber
Recent Examples of Synonyms for social climber
elitist
Noun
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And anyone who thinks of modern Democrats, from Texas or anywhere else, as a collection of elitists or urban snobs would likely not be referring to the 35-year-old Scudder.—
John C. Moritz,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
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He’s known for brash takes on politics and appears to relish taking down moralists and elitists.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
20 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Social climber.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/social%20climber. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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