upstart
Brash social climber
An upstart is someone who has risen quickly to a position of wealth, power, or prominence—especially one perceived as presumptuous or lacking the credentials traditionally expected.
The term carries a note of resentment from established figures: The tech upstart threatened the industry giants.
As an adjective, it describes such people or their enterprises: an upstart competitor, upstart ambitions.
Seeking to achieve
- drivenIntensely determined to achieve
- climberOne who scales
- striverOne who works diligently
- go-getterAmbitious, driven person
self-made · hungry · enterprising · careerist · arriviste · parvenu · determined · eager
Recklessly or disrespectfully fearless
- boldCourageous and daring
- cheekyPlayfully disrespectful
- impudentDisrespectfully bold
- brashOffensively self-assertive
presumptuous · cocky · impertinent · sassy · forward · brazen · insolent · disrespectful
Presumptuous young person
- punkRaw, fast rock genre
- bratIll-mannered young one
- snotNasal mucus discharge
- pretenderIllegitimate claimant to power
nobody · nonentity · intruder · impostor · usurper · squirt · pipsqueak · twerp
One competing against incumbent
- newcomerRecent arrival somewhere
- insurgentOne who revolts
- outsiderOne excluded from group
- disruptorOne who overturns norms
game-changer · maverick · rebel · usurper · interloper · gatecrasher · dark-horse · underdog
aspiring
Seeking to achieve
go-getter · self-made · hungry · enterprising · careerist · arriviste · parvenu · determined · eager · motivated
audacious
Recklessly or disrespectfully fearless
brash · presumptuous · cocky · impertinent · sassy · forward · brazen · insolent · disrespectful · arrogant
whippersnapper
Presumptuous young person
pretender · nobody · nonentity · intruder · impostor · usurper · squirt · pipsqueak · twerp · hotshot
challenger
One competing against incumbent
disruptor · game-changer · maverick · rebel · usurper · interloper · gatecrasher · dark-horse · underdog · contender
newcomer
Recent arrival somewhere
fledgling · newbie · latecomer · tenderfoot · tyro · beginner · inexperienced · untested · unproven · wet-behind-the-ears
- snobssnob, elitist, snoot, prig, highbrow
- underdogsunderdog, underdogs, Cinderella, sleeper, dark horse
- market standingleader, challenger, incumbent, frontrunner, underdog
- beginnersbeginner, novice, rookie, newbie, newcomer
- challengersunderdog, rival, contender, opponent, competitor
- luxuryluxury, wealth, luxurious, opulent, opulence
upstartold guard
Conservative faction within organization
establishment · grandee · aristocrat · blue blood · patrician
upstartunpretentious
Lacking false superiority
humble · modest · unassuming · deferential · self-effacing
upstartveteran
Experienced former soldier
incumbent · old hand · elder statesman · fixture · institution