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
Rocio Fabbro, Quartz, 20 June 2024
Revolut’s headquarters are already based in Canary Wharf but its next address will give the upstart a more central spot in the east London financial hub.
—Paolo Confino, Fortune Europe, 13 June 2024
Some designs simply can’t be improved upon: Park most new supercars next to a 58-year-old Lamborghini Miura and chances are the old-timer will command more attention than the upstart.
—Josh Condon, Robb Report, 13 June 2024
Both are on the ballot, with Gloria seeking re-election against political upstart Larry Turner, a San Diego police officer, and Faulconer attempting to unseat county Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer.
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Each race will involve multiple issues and varying political dynamics.
—Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for upstart 
Noun
Two of the biggest IPOs this year so far have been in the tech sector: AI upstart Astera Labs and popular social media platform Reddit, which together raised $1.5 billion.
—Rocio Fabbro, Quartz, 20 June 2024
Revolut’s headquarters are already based in Canary Wharf but its next address will give the upstart a more central spot in the east London financial hub.
—Paolo Confino, Fortune Europe, 13 June 2024
Some designs simply can’t be improved upon: Park most new supercars next to a 58-year-old Lamborghini Miura and chances are the old-timer will command more attention than the upstart.
—Josh Condon, Robb Report, 13 June 2024
Both are on the ballot, with Gloria seeking re-election against political upstart Larry Turner, a San Diego police officer, and Faulconer attempting to unseat county Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer.
Advertisement
Each race will involve multiple issues and varying political dynamics.
—Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for upstart
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'upstart.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Upstart.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upstart. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.
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