gold rush
noun
a large-scale and hasty movement of people to a region where gold has been discovered, as to California in 1849.
gold rushes
-
pluralof gold rush.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
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.
Robert King, who grew up in San Jose, watched the Bay Area transform as the technology industry grew, and said there are parallels with the lawlessness of past gold rushes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026
So far, this part of gold fever-dreaming hasn’t changed: as with most gold rushes, it’s the merchants who sell stuff to miners who usually come out winners.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 11, 2025
Founded in the 1860s as a railway hub, the city prospered during the silver and gold rushes.
From New York Times ● Feb. 12, 2024
The region’s miners use small-scale techniques not unlike those in 19th century gold rushes.
From Science Magazine ● Jan. 11, 2023
By one account, the amount of oil money had surpassed the total value of all the Old West gold rushes combined, and this fortune had drawn every breed of miscreant from across the country.
From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann
