uppity

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.

There's also the politics: drivers are a loud, powerful voting bloc, and they "get uppity" when they see parking space taken away, he says.

From BBC • Feb. 25, 2026

The household was vegetarian before this was trendy or socially acceptable, and yet not in an uppity way.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 29, 2025

The wealthiest and most international city in America, its grand mansions and comfortable houses would obviously be useful as a base for an invading army that was just beginning a campaign against uppity colonials.

From Washington Post • Mar. 15, 2023

“When unemployment is ultra low, the uppity times are behind us, and when it’s super high, there are good times ahead,” said Padhraic Garvey, a head of research at ING, a global bank.

From New York Times • Apr. 26, 2022

He never spoke about his education or teaching position while he was there, not wanting his employers or customers to call him uppity and take away his job.

From "While the World Watched: A Birmingham Bombing Survivor Comes of Age during the Civil Rights Movement" by Carolyn Maull McKinstry