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upper-class 1 of 2

adjective

ˌə-pər-ˈklas How to pronounce upper-class (audio)
Definition of upper-classnext
as in aristocratic
of high birth, rank, or station upper-class boys who had an entrenched sense of entitlement

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

upper class

2 of 2

noun

as in aristocracy
the highest class in a society a school founded to educate the children of the upper class

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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 upper-class
Adjective
Columbia University researchers found in a 2005 study that children from upper-class families can exhibit elevated likelihoods of substance use, anxiety, and depression in part thanks to excessive pressures to achieve and isolation from parents. — Preston Fore, Fortune, 13 Aug. 2026 Offering an incredibly detailed snapshot of upper-class life in Istanbul from the 1970s onwards, Pamuk has successfully created one of the most moving exhibitions to date—a real highlight of the city. — Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Aug. 2026
Noun
The grave goods suggest the deceased were members of society's upper class. — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 13 July 2026 The discovery was made among human bones at a burial site that researchers believe was used for members of the society’s upper classes. — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 7 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for upper-class
Recent Examples of Synonyms for upper-class
  1. aristocratic
  2. aristocracy
  3. nobility
  4. upper crust
  5. gentry
Adjective
  • During the period known as the Xi (Western) Zhou dynasty (1046–771 bce), warfare had been dominated by aristocratic elites and chariot forces and was generally conducted by armies smaller than those of subsequent centuries.
    — Ethan Teekah, Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Often, entrants include these alongside aristocratic and highbrow interests in a way that could reduce the appearance of snobbishness.
    — Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of aristocratic
Noun
  • My grandmother was from Mexican aristocracy, and her passion drove her to ditch her fiancé at the altar to marry my gringo grandad across the border.
    — Griffin Dunne, Vanity Fair, 11 Sep. 2026
  • After this, there will be a lot of going back and forth across the Channel; crimes of the aristocracy; Darnay’s own Big Secret revealed; more trials, more imprisonments.
    — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of aristocracy
Noun
  • There’s a nobility in providing some fan service to help immerse Oasis devotees who could not afford the outrageous ticket prices to attend the tour.
    — Marshall Shaffer, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Working as a portraitist, she was commissioned by university scholars and local nobility in Bologna, the Italian city where she was born.
    — Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of nobility
Noun
  • Even outside of Law’s upper crust of prospects, the Dodgers have intriguing pieces such as right-hander Christian Zazueta who would fill in credibly as headliners for a trade.
    — Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2026
  • She’s being raised in upper crust Gilead society, tutored in a private girls’ school led by Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd) for a potential prosperous husband, specifically one in the upper ranks of the military.
    — Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 27 May 2026
Definition of upper crust
Noun
  • Parker will play Mary Washington, George’s strong willed mother, while Rodgers will play Sally Cary, the charming beauty of the Virginia gentry who first sees his potential.
    — Alex Ritman, Variety, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Grammer will play Lord Fairfax, the unofficial leader of the Virginia gentry who has a complicated relationship to young George Washington as both his crucial mentor and as the father of his romantic rival.
    — Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 29 Aug. 2025
Definition of gentry

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upper
upper-class
upper class
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Cite this Entry

“Upper-class.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upper-class. Accessed 20 Sep. 2026.

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