upstart
Americannoun
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a person who has risen suddenly from a humble position to wealth, power, or a position of consequence.
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a presumptuous and objectionable person who has so risen; parvenu.
adjective
verb (used without object)
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to spring into existence or into view.
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to start up; spring up, as to one's feet.
verb (used with object)
noun
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a person, group, etc, that has risen suddenly to a position of power or wealth
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( as modifier )
an upstart tyrant
an upstart family
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an arrogant or presumptuous person
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( as modifier )
his upstart ambition
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verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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upstartsimple
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upstartssimple
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have upstartedperfect
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has upstartedperfect
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am upstartingprogressive
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are upstartingprogressive
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is upstartingprogressive
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have been upstartingperfect progressive
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has been upstartingperfect progressive
Past
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upstartedsimple
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had upstartedperfect
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was upstartingprogressive
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were upstartingprogressive
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had been upstartingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of upstart
Explanation
An upstart is someone who's cocky and arrogant, and who doesn't show much respect for other people. There are many ways of starting up trouble — one is by being an upstart. Upstarts are people who are full of themselves and dismissive of others. Often, an upstart is a young person or newcomer. A new employee who acts like he knows more than everyone else is an upstart. An arrogant rookie on a sports team is an upstart. In the 1500s, upstart and start-up were both used to mean the same thing, "one newly risen in importance."
Vocabulary lists containing upstart
Hamilton
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Tolkien Reading Day, List 8
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Vocabulary Bowl Vocabulary
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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.
Shares of Upstart were diving over 13% in Tuesday’s extended session after the company posted its earnings results for the first quarter.
From MarketWatch • May 5, 2026
Upstart reported adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization of $40.5 million, down from $42.6 million in the prior-year quarter.
From MarketWatch • May 5, 2026
In fact, peers have continued to tap private credit demand, with Upstart Holdings and Klarna Group recently announcing forward-flow and whole-loan sale facilities.
From Barron's • Apr. 17, 2026
Upstart beverage chains like Swig have quickly grown in recent years in response to demand for so-called dirty sodas and fruity refreshers.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026
Upstart weasel, he’d only joined up a day or two ago.
From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques
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.
