social climber

American  

noun

1. a person who attempts to gain admission into a group with a higher social standing.

---

social climber British  

noun

1. Sometimes shortened to: climber.  a person who seeks advancement to a higher social class, esp by obsequious behaviour

---

Other Word Forms

• social climbing
  noun

Etymology

Origin of social climber

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

This agreeableness has given scientists deep insights into their social lives.

From Slate • May 10, 2026

Moms are moving on from micromanaging their kids’ academic, extracurricular and social lives.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 9, 2026

The discoveries at Tinshemet Cave provide a detailed look at the social lives, behaviors, and environments of early humans.

From Science Daily • Apr. 12, 2026

Plenty of working families are raising children and having fruitful social lives on median incomes or even less: Living thriftily is not the same as living penuriously or meanly.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 10, 2025

And while you may not require technology to survive in the same way as food, our cultural and social lives require it.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel