gold rush

noun

1
: a rush to newly discovered goldfields in pursuit of riches
2
: the headlong pursuit of sudden wealth in a new or lucrative field
gold rusher
-ˈrə-shər How to pronounce gold rush (audio)
noun

Examples of gold rush in a Sentence

the California gold rush of 1849
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Travelers heading west would arrive in Sacramento, the gateway to the gold rush and all of California’s riches. — Sacbee.com, 30 July 2026 But a gold rush is shaping up to profit from new workarounds to the Strait of Hormuz. — Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 30 July 2026 The discovery of a rich vein of ore in the 1870s created a gold rush and the population shot up from a few dozen to over 10,000 over the course of a decade. — Kieron Marchese, Architectural Digest, 27 July 2026 Seoul — The AI gold rush is minting new fortunes, but the ex-wife of one of South Korea’s biggest tech titans has failed to win a greater share of his wealth as his company’s stock price has soared. — Stephanie Yang, CNN Money, 24 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for gold rush

Word History

First Known Use

1848, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of gold rush was in 1848

Rhymes for gold rush

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Browse Nearby Words

gold ruby glass
gold rush
Goldsboro
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Cite this Entry

“Gold rush.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gold%20rush. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on gold rush

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about gold rush

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