upperclassman
Americannoun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of upperclassman
An Americanism dating back to 1870–75; upper 1 + class + -man
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.
See Examples For:
But he believes juniors and seniors in advanced classes should be allowed to use AI “because when you become an upperclassman, companies want to see you actually use these tools,” Anand said.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 22, 2026
And, like everyone else trying to beat grown men, Lloyd’s Wildcats were heavy on upperclassman talent.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 27, 2026
Impressive numbers, but in his first two seasons he also threw 25 interceptions — a stat he wants to cut down as an upperclassman.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 27, 2024
“We’re always disrespected, always made the underdogs,” said defensive end Bralen Trice, another upperclassman who returned this season to make title run.
From Washington Times ● Jan. 2, 2024
The upperclassman hands him a bucket and Frederick pours it out on the ground.
From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr
Irritated upperclassmen, the lore goes, attempted to stop the juvenile climbing with an unconventional weapon: grease.
From Slate ● Jun. 24, 2026
Over time, this has created meaningful age and experience gaps, with some players reaching their mid-20s by the time they are upperclassmen.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 1, 2026
The men’s team won a conference championship last season and was built on a core of upperclassmen led by seventh-year senior Alex Garcia, who helped build the program.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 7, 2025
South Carolina: The Gamecocks are streaking just like a year ago where a group of experienced upperclassmen made it all the way to the Final Four before losing to Iowa.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 11, 2024
All of the upperclassmen in Kappa Zeta are so elite that when they ask someone to do something, they do it.
From "The Freedom Writers Diary" by The Freedom Writers
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.
