Definition of upstartnext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of upstart The largest field in tournament history gives its viewership a constant stream of group-stage action, ranging from global titans to spirited upstarts. Christopher Hamill, New York Times, 15 June 2026 Or could an upstart that prioritizes love and mercy, say, over dominion lure away their customers? Michael Luo, New Yorker, 14 June 2026 But other brands caught on to GoPro's game, and upstarts like the DJI Osmo Action 6 and the Insta360 Ace Pro 2 come with larger sensors and lower prices than the Hero13 Black. Jim Fisher, PC Magazine, 11 June 2026 For the last decade, upstarts like those owned by Mammoth have challenged the relevance and longstanding dominance of legacy giants like Procter & Gamble, Unilever and Kimberly-Clark. Amelia Lucas,melissa Repko, CNBC, 7 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for upstart
Recent Examples of Synonyms for upstart
Noun
  • And yet, the digital arrivistes could only gain so much traction with a broader customer base and needed a boost from tie-ins with old-school counterparts.
    Brian Steinberg, Variety, 20 Apr. 2026
  • 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
Noun
  • Spurrier, who predominantly sold French vintages, wasn’t expecting anything other than a trouncing for the parvenu.
    Charlie Campbell, Time, 25 May 2026
  • 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
Noun
  • Just like a certain adventurer with some mean, mean pride, Rush are currently embarking on their fiftieth anniversary tour, a prog-rock pilgrimage that will take them around the world and back for the next year.
    Devon Ivie, Vulture, 17 June 2026
  • Whether your dad's an adventurer or casual explorer, this new slip-in style is a shoo-in to make your dad's Father's day — scratch that, his year.
    Alex Apatoff, PEOPLE, 15 June 2026
Noun
  • Vandelli thinks Stilley is nouveau riche; Stilley thinks Vandelli is a bully.
    Brian Moylan, Vulture, 1 May 2026
  • Emulation of upper-crust speech norms became popular among the nouveau riche.
    Valerie M. Fridland, The Conversation, 21 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Upstart.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upstart. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.

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