upper-class

1 of 2

adjective

up·​per-class ˌə-pər-ˈklas How to pronounce upper-class (audio)
-ˈkläs
Synonyms of upper-classnext
: of, relating to, or characteristic of the highest social class in a society

upper class

2 of 2

noun

: a social class occupying a position above the middle class and having the highest status in a society

Synonyms of upper-class

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Adjective

Noun

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Examples of upper-class in a Sentence

Adjective upper-class boys who had an entrenched sense of entitlement Noun a popular pastime among the upper classes a member of the upper class
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
DeWitt’s narrator is a teenage girl whose demanding mother insists on proper upper-class behavior, befitting a young, wealthy Englishwoman. — Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2026 Columbia University researchers found in a 2005 study that children from upper-class families can exhibit elevated likelihoods of substance use, anxiety, and depression in part thanks to excessive pressures to achieve and isolation from parents. — Preston Fore, Fortune, 13 Aug. 2026
Noun
Both of them worked their way from working-class realities into the upper class. — Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026 But then for all his modernity as a playful father, the Darwins were members of the Victorian upper class. — Literary Hub, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for upper-class

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1837, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1814, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of upper-class was in 1814

Rhymes for upper-class

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Browse Nearby Words

Upper Chinook
upper-class
upper class
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Cite this Entry

“Upper-class.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upper-class. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

upper class

noun
: the highest class in society
upper-class adjective
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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