keeping up with the Joneses

Cultural  

1. Striving to achieve or own as much as the people around you: “If you want to keep up with the Joneses in this neighborhood, you will have to own at least three cars.”

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keeping up with the Joneses Idioms  

1. see keep up, def. 1.

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Example Sentences

With TikTok and Instagram reels constantly bombarding you with ads and influencer promotions, it’s hard not to feel like you’re missing out if you’re not buying the latest products and keeping up with the Joneses.

From Salon • Feb. 17, 2025

"I probably would have listened to much more sensible advice and probably steered more by earning more money and keeping up with the Joneses."

From BBC • Nov. 18, 2023

“There is this ‘If you aren’t keeping up with the Joneses, do you even love your kid?’ mentality out there.

From New York Times • May 13, 2022

And we’re all obsessed with not just keeping up with the Joneses, but beating them.

From Slate • Jun. 27, 2020

For reasons that we will not go into here, the Droffs had had difficulty in keeping up with the Joneses, so to speak.

From The Forest Monster of Oz by Evans, Bob