upstart

1 of 2

verb

up·​start ˌəp-ˈstärt How to pronounce upstart (audio)
upstarted; upstarting; upstarts
Synonyms of upstartnext

intransitive verb

: to jump up (as to one's feet) suddenly

upstart

2 of 2

noun

up·​start ˈəp-ˌstärt How to pronounce upstart (audio)
1
: one that has risen suddenly (as from a low position to wealth or power) : parvenu
especially : one that claims more personal importance than is warranted
2
: a start-up enterprise
upstart
ˈəp-ˈstärt How to pronounce upstart (audio)
adjective

Synonyms of upstart

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Noun

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Examples of upstart in a Sentence

Noun a young upstart from Harvard who thinks he knows more than the boss having made their money in oil decades ago, they consider these billionaire dot-commers mere upstarts
Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
The Valkyries have gone from a surprising upstart to looking like a serious threat. — Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 2 July 2026 Or could an upstart that prioritizes love and mercy, say, over dominion lure away their customers? — Michael Luo, New Yorker, 14 June 2026 At 14 years old, Candy Crush is a grizzled veteran, a heritage brand up against a thousand young upstarts. — Kamal Ahmed, Fortune, 15 June 2026 The upstart upended Silicon Valley with its cost-effective open-source model last year, and is seen as leading Beijing’s race against the US. — Tasneem Nashrulla, semafor.com, 16 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for upstart

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of upstart was in the 14th century

Rhymes for upstart

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Browse Nearby Words

upstaring
upstart
upstate
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Cite this Entry

“Upstart.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upstart. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

upstart

noun
up·​start
ˈəp-ˌstärt
: a person who has risen suddenly (as from a low position to wealth or power)
especially : one who makes a great show of success

More from Merriam-Webster on upstart

Nglish: Translation of upstart for Spanish Speakers

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