kept up with the Joneses

A form of keep up with the Joneses — To act or make purchases for status or image rather than out of need, especially for the purpose of competing with friends, neighbors, or society.

Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

verb
  1. participlepastsimple past and past participle of keep up with the Joneses
Cite this entry
APA

kept up with the Joneses. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kept%20up%20with%20the%20Joneses

MLA

“kept up with the Joneses.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kept%20up%20with%20the%20Joneses. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “kept up with the Joneses,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kept%20up%20with%20the%20Joneses.

Source: kept up with the Joneses on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.