upstart
noun
a person who has risen suddenly from a humble position to wealth, power, or a position of consequence.
upstarts
-
present tense formof upstart (3rd person singular).present tense
Used to describe things happening now or regularly.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Karp’s I’m-mad-as-hell-and-I’m-not-going-to-take-it-anymore moment is perhaps the best illustration yet of the battle brewing between the tech establishment and the AI upstarts.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 11, 2026
The design-software company has struggled to convince investors that its pricing model and artificial-intelligence offerings are enough to compete with cheaper upstarts, and Bank of America’s Tal Liani isn’t optimistic that sentiment will change.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 7, 2026
Instead, many chose self-proclaimed upstarts from opposite ends of the political spectrum: Republican reality TV star Spencer Pratt and democratic socialist City Councilmember Nithya Raman.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 3, 2026
Understanding what any upstarts are up against can help, though.
From Barron's ● May 18, 2026
Masters of power politics, engineers of genius, the Mexica were also upstarts and pretenders, arrivistes who falsely claimed a brilliant line of descent.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
