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
When Icelandic upstart Play Airlines abruptly shut down operations last week, canceling all flights, the news felt almost anticlimactic.
—
Barbara Peterson, AFAR Media, 6 Oct. 2025
Initially, Volvo approached German coachbuilder Karmann to build bodies for the sporty new 2+2 coupe, but Volkswagen strongarmed Karmann—prolific supplier of cars like the Karmann Ghia Type 14—threatening to cancel contracts if Karmann got involved with the attractive Swedish upstart.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 3 Oct. 2025
At the same time, some of the marketers who are thriving are upstarts who cultivate online crowds.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 29 Sep. 2025
The experience played out like a textbook clash between art and commerce—of indie upstarts versus corporate overlords.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 27 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for upstart
Barbara Peterson, AFAR Media, 6 Oct. 2025
Initially, Volvo approached German coachbuilder Karmann to build bodies for the sporty new 2+2 coupe, but Volkswagen strongarmed Karmann—prolific supplier of cars like the Karmann Ghia Type 14—threatening to cancel contracts if Karmann got involved with the attractive Swedish upstart.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 3 Oct. 2025
At the same time, some of the marketers who are thriving are upstarts who cultivate online crowds.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 29 Sep. 2025
The experience played out like a textbook clash between art and commerce—of indie upstarts versus corporate overlords.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 27 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for upstart
Recent Examples of Synonyms for upstart
Noun
-
Compared with some of her peers, she was initially seen as an arriviste.—
Caitlin Moscatello,
New York Times,
3 Mar. 2023
-
Her circle includes an aunt who is a champion wrestler, a resident Goth named Isabel and sultry Penny Century, an arriviste married to a wealthy magnate with horns on his head.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Jan. 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
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Loving father, fearless adventurer Chefitz and his wife came to Miami in 1974 for a job at Florida International University for Walli.—
Lauren Costantino,
Miami Herald,
25 Oct. 2025
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But what about the amateur adventurer who also enjoys dusting off and dressing up after a long day on the trail?—
AFAR Media,
AFAR Media,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The rule dates back to the 19th century and was founded by old-money circles in the Northeast to differentiate themselves from the nouveau riche trying to infiltrate the social elite.—
Starr Bowenbank,
PEOPLE,
4 Sep. 2025
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But Ahlers’ Jack is not content to become a nouveau riche nightmare, having spent the bulk of recent episodes dragging his feet about leaving the home and his employers, Agnes and Ada (Christine Baranski and Cynthia Nixon), whom he’s known for so long.—
Matt Donnelly,
Variety,
11 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Upstart.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upstart. Accessed 27 Oct. 2025.
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