Meanings
nounupward mobility (countable and uncountable, plural upward mobilities)
plural upward mobilities
- countableuncountablehuman sciencesAbility to advance to better-paid or better-regarded social strata.
“The whole notion of the American dream,” said Frank Levy, an M.I.T. economist, “described a mass upward mobility that is just a lot harder to achieve right now.”
2012 October 24, David Leonhardt, quoting Frank Levy, “Standard of Living Is in the Shadows as Election Issue”, in The New York Times, →ISSN
Translations
Finnish sosiaalinen nousu
- sosiaalinen nousuability to advance in society
German Aufwärtsmobilität, Aufstiegsfähigkeit
- Aufwärtsmobilitätability to advance in society
- Aufstiegsfähigkeitability to advance in society
Italian mobilità verticale
- mobilità verticaleability to advance in society
Polish awans społeczny
- awans społecznyability to advance in society
Russian восходящая мобильность
- восходящая мобильность (vosxodjaščaja mobilʹnostʹ)ability to advance in society
Cite this entry
APA
upward mobility. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/upward%20mobility
MLA
“upward mobility.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/upward%20mobility. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “upward mobility,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/upward%20mobility.
Source: upward mobility on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.