You can refer to someone as an upstart when they behave as if they are important, but you think that they are too new in a place or job to be treated as important.
[disapproval]
Many prefer a familiar authority figure to a young upstart.
...an upstart who had come from nowhere.
Synonyms: social climber, nobody, nouveau riche, parvenu More Synonyms of upstart
upstart in British English
noun (ˈʌpˌstɑːt)
1.
a.
a person, group, etc, that has risen suddenly to a position of power or wealth
b.
(as modifier)
an upstart tyrant
an upstart family
2.
a.
an arrogant or presumptuous person
b.
(as modifier)
his upstart ambition
verb (ʌpˈstɑːt)
3. (intransitive) archaic
to start up, as in surprise, etc
upstart in American English1
(ˈʌpˌstɑrt)
noun
1.
a person who has recently come into wealth, power, etc., esp. one who behaves in a presumptuous, aggressive manner; parvenu
adjective
2.
newly rich, powerful, etc.
3.
of or characteristic of an upstart
upstart in American English2
(ʌpˈstɑrt)
verb intransitive, verb transitive
to start, or spring, up or cause to spring up
Examples of 'upstart' in a sentence
upstart
"Why did the little upstart question me, San Filieu thought.
Tony Daniel METAPLANETARY (2001)
In other languages
upstart
British English: upstart NOUN
You can refer to someone as an upstart when they behave as if they are important, but you think that they are too new in a place or job to be treated as important.
Many prefer a familiar authority figure to a young upstart.
American English: upstart
Brazilian Portuguese: novo-rico
Chinese: 自命不凡的新手
European Spanish: advenedizo
French: blanc-bec
German: Emporkömmling
Italian: arrivista
Japanese: 成り上がり者
Korean: 벼락 출세자
European Portuguese: novo-rico
Latin American Spanish: advenedizo
(noun)
Definition
a person who has risen suddenly to a position of power and behaves arrogantly
an upstart who had come from nowhere
Synonyms
social climber
nobody
A man in my position has nothing to fear from a nobody like you.
nouveau riche (French)
The nouveau riche have to find a way of being accepted.
the gaudy mansions Shaw built for the nouveaux riches in the late 19th century
parvenu
the parvenu's snobbish desire to be linked with celebrities
arriviste
They were regarded by some as pushy arrivistes.
non-person
status seeker
Additional synonyms
in the sense of arriviste
They were regarded by some as pushy arrivistes.
Synonyms
upstart,
would-be,
climber,
social climber,
status seeker,
adventurer or adventuress,
parvenu or parvenue
in the sense of nobody
Definition
a person of no importance
A man in my position has nothing to fear from a nobody like you.
Synonyms
nonentity,
nothing (informal),
lightweight (informal),
non-person,
zero,
no-mark (British, slang, old-fashioned),
cipher,
menial
in the sense of nouveau riche
Definition
a person who has become wealthy recently and is regarded as vulgar
The nouveau riche have to find a way of being accepted.the gaudy mansions Shaw built for the nouveaux riches in the late 19th century
Synonyms
arriviste,
upstart,
new-rich,
parvenu
Nearby words of
upstart
upside down
upstage
upstanding
upstart
upsurge
uptight
upturn
Synonyms of 'upstart'
upstart
Explore 'upstart' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of parvenu
Definition
a person newly risen to a position of power or wealth who is considered to lack culture or education
the parvenu's snobbish desire to be linked with celebrities