social climber

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.

Mr. Restall’s Columbus was a man on the make, a social climber who used his marriage in 1479 to Felipa Moniz, the daughter of a minor aristocrat, to further his standing.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 2, 2026

In “Palm Royale,” which premiered on March 20, Wiig stars as Maxine, a frenzied social climber in 1960s Palm Beach.

From New York Times • Apr. 3, 2024

He is a vain social climber, easily fooled by his clever, beautiful young wife.

From Slate • May 4, 2023

Because Odette spends her evenings at Madame Verdurin’s, Swann stoically endures the company of that supercilious social climber and her sycophantic hangers-on.

From Washington Post • Nov. 3, 2022

Or was she an overly forward social climber?

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock