as in poor
belonging to the class of people of middle social or economic rank
She grew up in a middle-class neighborhood, as did most of her classmates.
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in working class
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of middle-class
Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 22 May 2025
There are many middle-class experiences of horror in South Africa, and unlike the poor, what happens to middle-class people is weighty enough to be packaged and sold to audiences abroad.
—Jonny Steinberg, Time, 22 May 2025
Catherine Baab, Quartz, 18 May 2025
The country’s economic situation is also grim, with rising fuel, food and electricity prices increasingly squeezing the poor and the middle class, exacerbating public discontent.
—Zia Ur-Rehman, New York Times, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for middle-class
Adjective
But advocates for increasing the caps argue that the $10,000 cap is increasingly impacting middle-class homeowners who live in regions where property taxes are rising.
—Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 22 May 2025
There are many middle-class experiences of horror in South Africa, and unlike the poor, what happens to middle-class people is weighty enough to be packaged and sold to audiences abroad.
—Jonny Steinberg, Time, 22 May 2025
Noun
Target reports premarket, offering insight into how middle class consumers are feeling about the threat of rising prices on Tide and tank tops.
—Catherine Baab, Quartz, 18 May 2025
The country’s economic situation is also grim, with rising fuel, food and electricity prices increasingly squeezing the poor and the middle class, exacerbating public discontent.
—Zia Ur-Rehman, New York Times, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for middle-class
Recent Examples of Synonyms for middle-class
Adjective
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The product was released in 2023 to a poor reception, and discontinued before the company began winding down operations in February.—
Tom Huddleston Jr.,
CNBC,
24 May 2025
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The original doesn’t go that deeply into it, but this poor girl was essentially forced to be a teen mom at this time in her life when all of her friends would be graduating high school and dating and thinking about their futures.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
24 May 2025
Noun
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Over 60 years later, the easy-to-wear shoes once associated with Brazil's poorer working class have become the de rigueur summer sandals.—
Roxanne Robinson,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2025
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For 100 years or more, Compton has been home to the aspiring working class, evolving from a white to a Black and now majority Latino community that still maintains a strong Black presence.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
23 May 2025
Adjective
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Some transplants want to live in Nice’s Old Town in historic bourgeois buildings — a more expensive location for apartments that can be pricey to maintain.—
Marnie Hunter,
CNN Money,
29 May 2025
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Stay Here: In Bilbao’s bourgeois enclave of Neguri, Palacio Arriluce is a palace-turned-49-room hotel where Queen Anne and neo-Gothic flourishes evoke the charm of a grand English manor — complete with a croquet lawn overlooking the Biscayan coast.—
Siobhan Reid,
Vogue,
28 May 2025
Noun
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This creative evolution has expanded papier-mâché’s market appeal, with a new generation of clientele emerging – a group that includes interior designers, a local urban bourgeoisie, and international buyers.—
Fahad Shah,
Christian Science Monitor,
2 Apr. 2025
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The company was started around the same time as other famous French stores like Le Bon Marché (1852) and La Samaritaine (1870), both of which, like Printemps, catered to the country’s growing bourgeoisie.—
Lanna Apisukh,
New York Times,
22 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Trevon Williams, who did not escape from the New Orleans jail, was charged with 10 counts of being a principal to simple escape, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill announced on May 23.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
25 May 2025
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Related Stories 13 Under-The-Radar Activities And Experiences In Key West The 11 Best Key West Restaurants On The Water Rooms And Rates The rooms are bright, cheerful, and simple, with colorful coastal touches in artwork and decorative items like pillows.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
24 May 2025
Adjective
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When Hurricane Irma barreled through Central Florida in 2017, floodwaters rose several feet in the streets of the working-class neighborhood of Orlo Vista and up to the window sills in Levi Williams’ home.—
Martin E. Comas,
The Orlando Sentinel,
1 June 2025
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Harris ultimately lost the election to Trump, partly because of shrinking support among traditional Democratic constituencies, including minorities and working-class voters.—
Seema Mehta,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Middle-class.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/middle-class. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
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