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
These two regions are no longer promising New World upstarts or rebellious outposts of Bordeaux.
—
Jessica Dupuy, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025
Now, its filled with upstart competitors touting benefits aimed at the less athletically inclined.
—Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 17 Apr. 2025
Over the course of the job the pair became BFFs, proving a viral sensation on the first season’s press tour—a kind of two-person Generation Game, with Pascal crowned the internet’s daddy and Ramsey a younger, cheekier upstart.
—Zing Tsjeng, Vogue, 11 Apr. 2025
The upstart founded by Stewart and Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier (also a mother) is known not only for its competitive wages, with average salaries rivaling max deals in the WNBA, but also its family-friendly services.
—Eric Jackson, Sportico.com, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for upstart
Jessica Dupuy, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025
Now, its filled with upstart competitors touting benefits aimed at the less athletically inclined.
—Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 17 Apr. 2025
Over the course of the job the pair became BFFs, proving a viral sensation on the first season’s press tour—a kind of two-person Generation Game, with Pascal crowned the internet’s daddy and Ramsey a younger, cheekier upstart.
—Zing Tsjeng, Vogue, 11 Apr. 2025
The upstart founded by Stewart and Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier (also a mother) is known not only for its competitive wages, with average salaries rivaling max deals in the WNBA, but also its family-friendly services.
—Eric Jackson, Sportico.com, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for upstart
Recent Examples of Synonyms for upstart
Noun
-
Where’s our charming arriviste?—
Jason Gay,
WSJ,
21 Dec. 2020
-
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
-
On an east to west traverse of Antarctica in 2005, White Desert co-founder Patrick Woodhead was so captivated by the rugged beauty of the interior that he and his wife, Robyn, were inspired to give other intrepid adventurers the chance to experience it.—
Chloe Berge,
Outside Online,
17 June 2025
-
The first of their kind in the state, these rustic lodgings afford adventurers comfortable (if not luxurious) places to overnight during mountain-biking, hiking, and fishing forays deep into the wilderness, says Shaun Deutschlander.—
Scott Bay,
Travel + Leisure,
13 June 2025
Noun
-
The prince’s daughter Concetta is initially enamored of Tancredi, but his eye is caught by the beautiful Angelica, daughter of vulgar nouveau riche neighbor Don Calogero.—
Anthony Paletta,
The Washington Examiner,
28 Mar. 2025
-
In Rivals, Dyer plays a complex, nouveau riche tech entrepreneur who strikes up an unlikely romance with local author Lizzie (Katherine Parkinson).—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
10 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Upstart.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upstart. Accessed 20 Jun. 2025.
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