social mobility

American  

[soh-shuhl moh-bil-i-tee] / ˈsoʊ ʃəl moʊˈbɪl ɪ ti /

noun

1. Sociology. the movement of people in a population, as from place to place, from job to job, or from one social class or level to another.

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social mobility Cultural  

1. The ability of individuals or groups to move upward or downward in status based on wealth, occupation, education, or some other social variable.

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American society operates on the principle that an individual's achievements can be rewarded by upward social mobility.

Etymology

Origin of social mobility

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

social mobility

Prior to his downfall as Labour leader, Sir Keir had suggested he could bring Rayner back into his cabinet, adding she had the "best social mobility story this country has ever seen".

From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026

It has knock-on effects that can distort the economy, politics and social mobility.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026

"And this desire to move is not just physical mobility," it is also "a kind of drive toward economic mobility and above all social mobility," he said.

From Barron's ● Jun. 27, 2026

Likewise, Lisa Kibutu, a Kenya Fashion Council board member, says many jobs involving mitumba are "hand-to-mouth" roles that do not allow for growth and social mobility.

From BBC ● May 23, 2026

My education may have made it inevitable that I would become a citizen of the secular city, but I have come to embrace the city’s values: social mobility; pluralism; egalitarianism; self-reliance.

From "Hunger of Memory" by Richard Rodriguez