upmarket

American

[uhp-mahr-kit] / ˈʌpˌmɑr kɪt /

adjective

appealing or catering to high-income consumers; of high quality; not easily affordable or accessible.

upmarket fashions.

adverb

in an upmarket way.

Etymology

Origin of upmarket

First recorded in 1970–75; up- + market

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.

Manufacturers in the factory town of Foshan are attempting to move upmarket, focusing on higher-end furniture, custom designs and direct sales to customers.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 10, 2026

“In credit, almost everything we’ve done recently is upmarket, moving more toward investment grade,” Rowan said.

From Barron's • May 7, 2026

The White Lotus is one of the most popular dramas of recent years, having won numerous Emmy Awards, with each season set in an upmarket hotel in a different resort around the world.

From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026

Both men were arrested on 19 February after police were called to Mugabe's home in the upmarket Johannesburg suburb of Hyde Park.

From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026

This was epically upmarket, but I couldn't let Belet know I thought that.

From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023