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careerist

American  
[kuh-reer-ist] / kəˈrɪər ɪst /

noun

  1. a person who follows a career.

  2. a person who pursues a policy or attitude of careerism.


careerist British  
/ kəˈrɪərɪst /

noun

  1. a person who values success in his career above all else and seeks to advance it by any possible means

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of careerist

First recorded in 1905–10; career + -ist

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.

See Examples For:

It also has some surprisingly effective dramatic moments, such as when she confesses to being such a careerist that she missed her kids’ childhoods.

From The Wall Street Journal Apr. 29, 2026

When asked whether his defection was motivated by an opportunity to become MP for Gravesham again, Mr Holloway insisted he was not a "careerist".

From BBC Jul. 30, 2025

America’s favorite singleton hadn’t been single since high school — and its favorite plucky careerist had, in truth, lost jobs for being pregnant or requesting a raise.

From New York Times May 25, 2023

I am not a careerist; I have no such aspirations.

From Salon May 9, 2023

Because he is the most subtle, the most complex and the most deceptive type of careerist, he is the most dangerous to the adventure and speculation in intellect which mankind is.

From The Glands Regulating Personality by Louis Berman M.D.

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