upward mobility

British  

noun

1. sociol the movement of an individual, social group, or class to a position of increased status or power Compare downward mobility See also horizontal mobility vertical mobility

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upward mobility Cultural  

1. Rising from a lower to a higher social class or status. (See also social mobility.)

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Example Sentences

For decades, the country’s consumer story was built around upward mobility: apartments, cars, electronics, luxury goods, overseas travel, and brand upgrades.

From Barron's • Jun. 19, 2026

Across the San Gabriel Valley, the article finds a pervasive sense of economic strain and declining faith in upward mobility.

From Los Angeles Times • May 17, 2026

The rate of upward mobility in 19th-century Europe and China was under 10%.

From MarketWatch • May 6, 2026

It is that upward mobility is available, at scale, outside the prestige hierarchy and often at much lower prices.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 6, 2026

The sense of upward mobility was central to the ideal of Levittown.

From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove