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
Formerly a beacon of relative calm among his hometown’s more gonzo street rappers, the Flint upstart packs his latest album with more jokes, quirks, and personality than ever before.
—
Matthew Ritchie, Pitchfork, 23 Feb. 2026
Bitcoin, which has been plummeting in value, has come to feel less like a rebel upstart, more like an eccentric uncle.
—James Surowiecki, The Atlantic, 16 Feb. 2026
There are a number of firms getting in on the action, including big familiar names and plucky upstarts.
—New Atlas, 7 Feb. 2026
Around 2015, upstarts like Chobani or BodyArmor began stealing market share from legacy brands.
—Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for upstart
Matthew Ritchie, Pitchfork, 23 Feb. 2026
Bitcoin, which has been plummeting in value, has come to feel less like a rebel upstart, more like an eccentric uncle.
—James Surowiecki, The Atlantic, 16 Feb. 2026
There are a number of firms getting in on the action, including big familiar names and plucky upstarts.
—New Atlas, 7 Feb. 2026
Around 2015, upstarts like Chobani or BodyArmor began stealing market share from legacy brands.
—Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for upstart
Recent Examples of Synonyms for upstart
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
-
Compared with some of her peers, she was initially seen as an arriviste.—
Caitlin Moscatello,
New York Times,
3 Mar. 2023
Noun
-
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
-
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
-
Fear is part and parcel of any outdoor adventurer’s experience, but unlike many of us, Lucas Bravo likes that feeling.—
Adrienne Westenfeld,
Outside,
18 Mar. 2026
-
McBride — adventurer, daredevil — appears unflappable.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Trouble begins brewing with the arrival of their nouveau riche neighbors, Edgar Linton (Shazad Latif), and his ward, Isabella (Alison Oliver).—
Radhika Seth,
Vogue,
9 Feb. 2026
-
With the farm suddenly unsustainable, there’s nothing for it but to pack up and seek work in Pristina, where Hatixhe’s sister Lina (Fiona Gllavica) lives a comfortable nouveau riche life in a large, gleaming new-build home courtesy of her entrepreneur husband Alban (Alban Ukaj).—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Upstart.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upstart. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.
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