upperclassman

noun

up·​per·​class·​man ˌə-pər-ˈklas-mən How to pronounce upperclassman (audio)
: a member of the junior or senior class in a school or college

Examples of upperclassman in a Sentence

Only upperclassmen can go off-campus for lunch.
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.
The 2021 Baylor and 2022 Kansas national championship squads were nearly entirely composed of upperclassmen, and UConn started just one freshman for each of its back-to-back titles in 2023 and 2024. Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 27 Mar. 2025 Coach Brenda Freese’s rotation is made up entirely of upperclassmen who want to keep their college careers going, but Sarah Te-Biasu, Kaylene Smikle and Shyanne Sellers will have to play their best games. Chantel Jennings, The Athletic, 25 Mar. 2025 Cham Okey, No. 16 seed SIU Edwardsville, Austin: There hasn’t been much playing time for him as the Cougars have a number of upperclassmen in front of him. Dane Mizutani, Twin Cities, 19 Mar. 2025 The Cougars, who started five upperclassmen and shot 64% (21 of 33) by pounding the ball inside, responded with the 10-2 burst to grab momentum. Rick Armstrong, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for upperclassman

Word History

First Known Use

1871, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of upperclassman was in 1871

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Cite this Entry

“Upperclassman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upperclassman. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

upperclassman

noun
up·​per·​class·​man ˌəp-ər-ˈklas-mən How to pronounce upperclassman (audio)
: a student in the third or fourth year of a four-year college or a high school

More from Merriam-Webster on upperclassman

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