up-and-coming
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of up-and-coming
An Americanism dating back to 1840–50
Explanation
If someone is up-and-coming, they're verging on being really successful or famous. An up-and-coming rock band is just starting to be popular and beginning to draw crowds at their shows. If you're an up-and-coming magician, you might be a little bit new to doing magic tricks, but you work hard at it and are actually pretty good. Local fans might be starting to mention your name when someone's looking for a birthday party entertainer: "Have you seen that amazing up-and-coming magician who pulls rabbits out of her hat and then turns them into bouquets of flowers?"
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.
Infleqtion’s edge lies in neutral atoms, an up-and-coming architecture increasingly viewed as a commercially viable path forward.
From Barron's • May 20, 2026
But it was an up-and-coming politician who most recently made a big splash: James Talarico, the Texas State House representative who is now the Democratic nominee for the U.S.
From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026
Now Randall is at Horizon Air and mentors up-and-coming students himself.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 26, 2026
Doumit joined “The Boys” in the second season as Victoria Neuman, an up-and-coming politician with a superpowered secret.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 21, 2026
Since 1980, the Dallas Cup has given talented and up-and-coming players the opportunity to compete against marquee teams from across the globe.
From "Booked" by Kwame Alexander
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
