upward mobility

NOUN

climbing in status

Synonyms

WEAK

advancement climbing the corporate ladder social climbing social mobility status seeking vertical mobility

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.

Having a roof over your head is a fundamental human need and is a foundation for financial stability and upward mobility.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

Beyond the devastating personal impacts of workplace harassment, it can also cause lasting economic harm to employees by stunting their life-time earnings, undermining their upward mobility and even prompting them to change careers entirely.

From Salon • Jan. 23, 2026

“The current housing market is entrenched in an affordability crisis leaving many average American families feeling excluded from the traditional promise of upward mobility and homeownership,” Miller said on the Wednesday call.

From Barron's • Dec. 16, 2025

If the cultural mood continues tilting toward frugality and retreat, companies that built strategies on steady upward mobility may need to revise expectations.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 25, 2025

I had brought my family’s upward mobility out onto the road.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides