upstart

/ˈʌpstɑːt/ (bre, ipa) · [ˈʌpstˌɑrt] /ˈʌpstɑːrt/ (ame, ipa) · [ˈʌpstˌɑrt] /ˌəp-ˈstärt/ (ame, mw)

upstart — noun

  • upstartsingular
  • upstartsplural

1. someone who has recently gained money, power, or a high social position and beha

1.名詞B2
釋義

someone who has recently gained money, power, or a high social position and behaves in an overly confident or disrespectful way because they think they are now better than other people

例句

The older professors dismissed Ryan as an upstart who had no respect for academic traditions.

Neighbours avoided the upstart after he tore down the old library for a pool.

同義詞
  • parvenu

    more formal and literary, focuses on the social class rise rather than the person's behaviour

  • nouveau riche

    French loan phrase; refers specifically to newly acquired wealth, not power or position

  • social climber

    emphasises the effort to rise socially, often through calculated relationships

反義詞
  • aristocrat

    someone born into high social rank, not a newcomer

  • veteran

    someone with long experience, contrasted with a newcomer

文法句型

upstart + [often disapproving]

用法筆記

Carries strong disapproval — you would not call someone an upstart in a neutral or admiring way. The word implies that the person's rise was undeserved or that their behaviour is inappropriate for their new position.

常見錯誤

❌He is a self-made upstart.
✅He is a self-made millionaire.
💡'Upstart' is always a negative label; calling someone a 'self-made upstart' sounds contradictory because it combines admiration with criticism.
❌She is an upstart in her field.
✅She is a newcomer in her field.
💡'Upstart' specifically implies rude or arrogant behaviour, not just newness.

2. a company or organisation that has recently begun operating in a market and comp

2.名詞B2
釋義

a company or organisation that has recently begun operating in a market and competes with more established businesses

例句

The upstart chain opened three stores right next to the older cafés in town.

collocation: upstart [company/chain] + competitor framing

Established publishers refused to distribute the upstart's books, fearing they would lose readers.

同義詞
  • newcomer

    neutral term without the competitive or negative connotations

  • challenger

    suggests active competition and potential to overtake the leader

  • disruptor

    modern business term for a company that changes how an industry works

反義詞
  • incumbent

    the established company already holding a market position

  • industry leader

    the dominant player that the upstart is trying to challenge

文法句型

upstart + noun (attributive)

upstart in + [field/industry]

用法筆記

Often used attributively (e.g. 'upstart company', 'upstart brand'). Contrasts with 'start-up', which focuses on the company's stage of development; 'upstart' emphasises the disruptive or competitive effect on incumbents.

常見錯誤

❌The upstart failed because it lacked funding.
✅The start-up failed because it lacked funding.
💡Use 'start-up' for a new business in general; use 'upstart' only when highlighting competition with established players.

upstart — verb