social mobility

American  

[soh-shuhl moh-bil-i-tee] / ˈsoʊ ʃəl moʊˈbɪl ɪ ti /

noun

1. Sociology. the movement of people in a population, as from place to place, from job to job, or from one social class or level to another.

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social mobility Cultural  

1. The ability of individuals or groups to move upward or downward in status based on wealth, occupation, education, or some other social variable.

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American society operates on the principle that an individual's achievements can be rewarded by upward social mobility.

Etymology

Origin of social mobility

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

Social mobility — sometimes referred to as economic mobility — is the movement of people between classes.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 20, 2025

Social mobility occurs both ways, yet we have a 19th century moral "one way" view of it.

From New York Times • Sep. 28, 2016

Social mobility is the eternal promise of storytelling, underpinning everything from fairytales to gangster movies to sports dramas.

From The Guardian • Jul. 19, 2012

Social mobility in the United States lags behind many European countries.

From Salon • May 26, 2011

Social mobility is real, and goes in both directions, but no one loses track.

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times