up·start
ˈəp-ˌstärt 
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
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
Vitas Carosella, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
The promotion’s founder, UFC boss Dana White, announced Monday that his upstart fighting league would be leaving conservative-leaning Rumble, its livestreaming home for its first 11 events, and moving to the world’s largest video platform beginning Friday for Power Slap 12.
—Matt Craig, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025
At least until Oscar night, when this indie upstart could emerge as the big winner.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 11 Feb. 2025
Louis Vuitton’s watchmaking division, headed by Jean Arnault, has picked up on this phenomenon, and not only teamed up (twice now) with independent watchmakers on collaborative limited editions, but holds a biennial design competition to bring recognition to these superstar upstarts of watchmaking.
—Carol Besler, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for upstart
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Noun
The ten-team upstart league boasts some of the best players in the world, including women’s world number one player Ariana Sanchez Fallada and men’s top players Augustine Tapia and Federico Chingotto.
—Vitas Carosella, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
The promotion’s founder, UFC boss Dana White, announced Monday that his upstart fighting league would be leaving conservative-leaning Rumble, its livestreaming home for its first 11 events, and moving to the world’s largest video platform beginning Friday for Power Slap 12.
—Matt Craig, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025
At least until Oscar night, when this indie upstart could emerge as the big winner.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 11 Feb. 2025
Louis Vuitton’s watchmaking division, headed by Jean Arnault, has picked up on this phenomenon, and not only teamed up (twice now) with independent watchmakers on collaborative limited editions, but holds a biennial design competition to bring recognition to these superstar upstarts of watchmaking.
—Carol Besler, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for upstart
Cite this Entry
“Upstart.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upstart. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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