upstart

[ noun, adjective uhp-stahrt; verb uhp-stahrt ]

/ noun, adjective ˈʌpˌstɑrt; verb ʌpˈstɑrt /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR upstart ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a person who has risen suddenly from a humble position to wealth, power, or a position of consequence.

a presumptuous and objectionable person who has so risen; parvenu.

adjective

being, resembling, or characteristic of an upstart.

verb (used without object)

to spring into existence or into view.

to start up; spring up, as to one's feet.

verb (used with object)

to cause to start up.

RELATED WORDS

name-dropper, parvenue

Nearby words

Origin of upstart

1275–1325; Middle English (v.); see up-, start

Related formsup·start·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for upstart

AirAsia, on the other hand, is a relatively new carrier, an upstart in the tradition of Southwest Airlines in the United States.
The Presumed Crash of AirAsia Flight QZ8501 Is Nothing Like MH370|Lennox Samuels|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
If the upstart wins, the Democrats are in play for the first time in a generation.
Travis Childers: The Deep South’s Great Liberal Hope|Ben Jacobs|June 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The staid old NFL soon faced competition from the upstart AFL, which, of course, put a team in New York.
New York City Is the Storied Football Capital of the USA|Ben Jacobs|January 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Stewart was disdainful of the upstart network, and in the final meeting to sign the contract, would not even look at Ober.
Food Fight! The Seven Biggest Rivalries Inside the Food Network|Thomas Flynn|September 26, 2013|DAILY BEAST

Six months later, the upstart decided he was ready to strike out on his own.
Is Tech Upstart Cullen Dudas the Next Steve Jobs?|Winston Ross|January 10, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Mushrooms, instead of strawberry-leaves, should decorate the brows of the upstart French nobility.
Burlesques|William Makepeace Thackeray
He has not long been in practice, and we look upon him as an upstart.
The Story of Charles Strange Vol. 1 (of 3)|Mrs. Henry Wood
I will let the upstart know, said she, how easily the hand that has exalted him can beat him down.
In the Days of Queen Elizabeth|Eva March Tappan
But were there no other motive to induce me to despise the upstart man, is not this unjust one to his family enough?
Clarissa, Volume 1 (of 9)|Samuel Richardson
But I will say my say, and have done with it; and you may think me an upstart meddler, if you like.
The Remarkable History of Sir Thomas Upmore, bart., M.P., formerly known as "Tommy Upmore"|R. D. Blackmore

British Dictionary definitions for upstart

upstart

noun (ˈʌpˌstɑːt)

a person, group, etc, that has risen suddenly to a position of power or wealth
(as modifier)an upstart tyrant; an upstart family

an arrogant or presumptuous person
(as modifier)his upstart ambition

verb (ʌpˈstɑːt)

(intr) archaic to start up, as in surprise, etc

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for upstart

upstart

1550s, "one newly risen in importance or rank, a parvenu," also start-up, from up + start (v.) in the sense of "jump, spring, rise." Cf. the archaic verb upstart "to spring to one's feet," attested from c.1300.