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
The president started his first term as an unpopular upstart succeeding a predecessor who left office with mediocre but stable approval ratings.
—
Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 12 Dec. 2025
In contrast, some upstarts show higher satisfaction scores than major entries despite their minimal market share.
—Ethan Stone, USA Today, 11 Dec. 2025
Yet the company faces stiffer competition from a wide range of rivals, including big-box retailers like Walmart, online players like Amazon and upstarts like TikTok Shop.
—Melissa Repko, CNBC, 4 Dec. 2025
Much of that money is being spent on just 10 companies that are all interlocked, with the big companies investing in the AI upstarts, which in turn pump money back into them by buying their products or services.
—Alyson Shontell, Fortune, 3 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for upstart
Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 12 Dec. 2025
In contrast, some upstarts show higher satisfaction scores than major entries despite their minimal market share.
—Ethan Stone, USA Today, 11 Dec. 2025
Yet the company faces stiffer competition from a wide range of rivals, including big-box retailers like Walmart, online players like Amazon and upstarts like TikTok Shop.
—Melissa Repko, CNBC, 4 Dec. 2025
Much of that money is being spent on just 10 companies that are all interlocked, with the big companies investing in the AI upstarts, which in turn pump money back into them by buying their products or services.
—Alyson Shontell, Fortune, 3 Dec. 2025
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
-
The long-gestating Amazon show is based on the video game franchise, following the adventures of world-famous archaeologist and adventurer Lara Croft.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
6 Jan. 2026
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Griffith was there, as was the adventurer Robert Ripley and the editor John Farrar.—
Michael Waters,
New Yorker,
3 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
For decades, when most people thought about Baden-Baden, the image that likely came to mind was that of a rather stuffy luxury resort where wealthy seniors shared the town with nouveau riche newcomers.—
CNT Editors,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Jan. 2026
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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
Cite this Entry
“Upstart.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upstart. Accessed 22 Jan. 2026.
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