as in arriviste
one who has recently acquired wealth and social position
having made their money in oil decades ago, they consider these billionaire dot-commers mere upstarts
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of upstart
Establishing brand equity in a highly competitive sports market dominated by legacy brands is a delicate balance as upstart franchises try to create their own identity to stand out from the crowd.
—
Michael Loré, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025
Chief among the upstarts is Zohran Mamdani, a two-term state Assemblyman from Queens who has been endorsed by U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT).
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 23 June 2025
Instead, Thompson argues, that media is following so many other economic forces, with a robust world of upstarts, and the biggest players getting bigger.
—Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 20 June 2025
Mamelodi Sundowns Probably the best team in sub-Saharan Africa, Pretoria’s Sundowns come into the tournament on a slightly downbeat note, after losing to Egyptian upstarts Pyramids in the CAF Champions League final last month.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 11 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for upstart
Michael Loré, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025
Chief among the upstarts is Zohran Mamdani, a two-term state Assemblyman from Queens who has been endorsed by U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT).
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 23 June 2025
Instead, Thompson argues, that media is following so many other economic forces, with a robust world of upstarts, and the biggest players getting bigger.
—Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 20 June 2025
Mamelodi Sundowns Probably the best team in sub-Saharan Africa, Pretoria’s Sundowns come into the tournament on a slightly downbeat note, after losing to Egyptian upstarts Pyramids in the CAF Champions League final last month.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 11 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for upstart
Recent Examples of Synonyms for upstart
Noun
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Where’s our charming arriviste?—
Jason Gay,
WSJ,
21 Dec. 2020
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Compared with some of her peers, she was initially seen as an arriviste.—
Caitlin Moscatello,
New York Times,
3 Mar. 2023
Noun
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In 1952, backed by little more than his reputation as a war hero and a fortune staked by his parvenu father, 35-year-old John F. Kennedy swiped a Senate seat from Republican Henry Cabot Lodge, himself a wealthy combat veteran.—
Kevin Mahnken,
The New Republic,
1 Sep. 2020
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Raveendran, at least on paper, assumes his place among those parvenus thanks to his effort in internet education.—
Saritha Rai,
Fortune,
29 July 2019
Noun
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Tortuga Island Best for: snorkelers, scuba divers, island adventurers In the 17th century, Tortuga Island, just off the Nicoya Peninsula, was a place for pirates eager to loot coastal towns.—
AFAR Media,
AFAR Media,
11 July 2025
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In between meals, adventurers will be encouraged to explore the wooded walking trails located on the property, including a half-mile loop trail that hugs Waxhaw Creek.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
11 July 2025
Noun
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It was remodeled by its subsequent owners—the brothers who owned the F. W. Woolworth Company—in the style of Versailles, an over-the-top gesture that from a twenty-first-century vantage point looks quintessentially nouveau riche, and quintessentially New Jersey.—
Hazlitt,
Hazlitt,
11 June 2025
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With more romance, shifting power dynamics between the old guard and the nouveau riche and plenty of dramatic twists, there’s a lot to look forward to on Sunday nights this summer.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Upstart.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upstart. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.
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