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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of middle-class
Sweta Kaushal, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025
People could go off to work in factories and earn a decent middle-class wage.
—David Brooks, Mercury News, 31 May 2025
Veronica Anghel, Foreign Affairs, 21 May 2025
Though the worst of these laws had been reformed by the end of the 18th century and a small Catholic middle class was emerging, they were still barred from political office.
—Joseph Patrick Kelly, The Conversation, 20 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for middle-class
Adjective
Gabbi’s role is restricted to playing the cute, completely in control but emotionally out of control middle-class girl who passionately wants to get married to her love without defying her traditional and authoritarian dad.
—Sweta Kaushal, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025
People could go off to work in factories and earn a decent middle-class wage.
—David Brooks, Mercury News, 31 May 2025
Noun
His base included young voters and the elderly, women, the urban middle class, and dual-nationality Moldovans who viewed Simion’s rhetoric as dangerously aligned with Russian authoritarianism.
—Veronica Anghel, Foreign Affairs, 21 May 2025
Though the worst of these laws had been reformed by the end of the 18th century and a small Catholic middle class was emerging, they were still barred from political office.
—Joseph Patrick Kelly, The Conversation, 20 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for middle-class
Recent Examples of Synonyms for middle-class
Adjective
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Programs like food aid for poor children, health care for seniors, and subsidies for day-to-day needs are in the balance.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
5 June 2025
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Most cited poor digital offerings or a lack of services and products.—
Robert Frank,
CNBC,
5 June 2025
Noun
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Mamdani seeks to speak for the city’s working class, yet his voters appear to trend not just younger but whiter, richer, and more male than Cuomo’s.—
Eric Lach,
New Yorker,
13 June 2025
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On his first day on the job, Marcelo observes the double standard at play in a system that protects the wealthy, while keeping the working class in their place — the same dynamic by which someone like himself could be snuffed without recrimination.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
18 May 2025
Adjective
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The Rue Jacob is decorated in ugly bourgeois tones of: beige and brown, nineteenth-century paintings, Louis-Philippe furniture.—
Constance Debré,
Harpers Magazine,
30 Apr. 2025
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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
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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Ahead of the most important game of the year, Luke Esquivel said the key to a strong performance will be simple.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
5 June 2025
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Track what brings business Your process on LinkedIn is simple.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
Adjective
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Today’s steakhouses can trace their roots to 17th-century English chophouses that catered to working-class men.—
Jeremy Repanich,
Robb Report,
14 June 2025
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His pride in his craft was not simply a working-class man identifying with his trade; it was rooted in the shrewdness of his own youthful decision-making.—
Jelani Cobb,
New Yorker,
14 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Middle-class.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/middle-class. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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