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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.”


keeping up with the Joneses Idioms  
  1. see keep up, def. 1.


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.

The fine can be £100, but Mr Long said waste wardens prioritised promoting the Keeping Up With the Joneses campaign, created to ensure every household in Blaenau Gwent recycles.

From BBC

Alexandra Rooney, a private client adviser at Main Street Research, said society has “moved on from ‘keeping up with the Joneses’ to ‘Keeping Up with the Kardashians.’

From MarketWatch

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

This is what Bodge refers as “keeping up with the Joneses” which refers to trying to keep up with the expectations of other people rather than what is realistic for you to spend.

From Seattle Times

"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