as in nobles
someone who is well-known in fashionable society and is often seen at parties and other social events for wealthy people
Many of the city's socialites showed up for the premiere gala.
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Recent Examples of socialites
Influenced In its early days, reality TV turned socialites like Paris Hilton and figures from tabloid culture like Kim Kardashian into influencers who predated the term.
—
Alli Rosenbloom, CNN Money, 1 May 2026
Founded in 1948 by fashion publicist Eleanor Lambert, the exclusive event started as a gala dinner among Manhattan socialites to raise money for the museum's annual exhibits.
—Michelle Lee, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026
The backstory At the height of its popularity in the 1950s and ’60s, Asteria—meaning ‘stars’ in Greek—was a playground for socialites and starlets.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Apr. 2026
Upstairs, impressionists, writers, socialites, and painters who moved in Proust’s orbit, from Sarah Bernhardt to Emile Zola and Claude Monet, lent their names to a room or suite.
—Lindsey Tramuta, Robb Report, 2 Apr. 2026
And in Six Degrees of Separation (1993), Hurt played one of the New York socialites who falls into the web of deceit created by a charismatic young man (Will Smith) pretending to be the son of Sidney Poitier.
—Chris Koseluk, HollywoodReporter, 29 Mar. 2026
But, by the beginning of the Gilded Age in America in the 1870s, the sartorial code became the upper class’s go-to for the opera, debutante balls, and any of the fancy-dress parties thrown by socialites of the day.
—Vogue, 27 Mar. 2026
Just one season of The Traitors that lets the Gamers play against one another instead of in a team-warfare setting against moneyed socialites.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 2 Mar. 2026
The Kardashians' entertainment value is high, as is its production value, and the socialites' humanity (and relatability) as portrayed in the show may just shock you.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Feb. 2026
Alli Rosenbloom, CNN Money, 1 May 2026
Founded in 1948 by fashion publicist Eleanor Lambert, the exclusive event started as a gala dinner among Manhattan socialites to raise money for the museum's annual exhibits.
—Michelle Lee, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026
The backstory At the height of its popularity in the 1950s and ’60s, Asteria—meaning ‘stars’ in Greek—was a playground for socialites and starlets.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Apr. 2026
Upstairs, impressionists, writers, socialites, and painters who moved in Proust’s orbit, from Sarah Bernhardt to Emile Zola and Claude Monet, lent their names to a room or suite.
—Lindsey Tramuta, Robb Report, 2 Apr. 2026
And in Six Degrees of Separation (1993), Hurt played one of the New York socialites who falls into the web of deceit created by a charismatic young man (Will Smith) pretending to be the son of Sidney Poitier.
—Chris Koseluk, HollywoodReporter, 29 Mar. 2026
But, by the beginning of the Gilded Age in America in the 1870s, the sartorial code became the upper class’s go-to for the opera, debutante balls, and any of the fancy-dress parties thrown by socialites of the day.
—Vogue, 27 Mar. 2026
Just one season of The Traitors that lets the Gamers play against one another instead of in a team-warfare setting against moneyed socialites.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 2 Mar. 2026
The Kardashians' entertainment value is high, as is its production value, and the socialites' humanity (and relatability) as portrayed in the show may just shock you.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for socialites
Noun
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With the blessing and leadership of various popes, the nobles of Europe raised armies, crossed various countries or sailed to the Middle East to fight and save the Holy Land (Palestine) from Muslim domination, something that echoes down the centuries to today.—
Peter Lucas,
Boston Herald,
18 Apr. 2026
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The royal court, along with the palaces of nobles, became centers of elegance and display, with ceremonies and outward grandeur being an important part of courtly culture.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Intriguingly, the 140 selections on view, ranging from vases to books, Buddhist figurines to landscape painting, literati desk accessories to official portraiture, look nothing at all like the art favored by European aristocrats arrayed elsewhere in the Art Institute.—
Lori Waxman,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
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In 1811 it was converted into a hotel and became the go-to destination for those on the Grand Tour, the journey across continental Europe that young aristocrats undertook to perfect their education.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Socialites.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/socialites. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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