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
He is a vain social climber, easily fooled by his clever, beautiful young wife.
From Slate ● May 4, 2023
The season three episode “Chiantishire,” which takes place at Caroline’s wedding to an unabashed social climber, offers some insight into Shiv’s relationship with her mom.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 26, 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
As Joanne Kaufman reported in the Wall Street journal, Ms. Pittman was known in certain elevated circles more as a social climber than mountain climber.
From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer
