trickle-up

[ trik-uhl-uhp ]

adjective

1. noting or pertaining to the theory that monetary benefits directed toward small businesses and lower socioeconomic brackets will gradually pass up to big businesses and higher socioeconomic brackets.
2. noting or pertaining to the theory that change and information moves upward in a hierarchy.

Word History and Origins

Origin of trickle-up¹

First recorded in 1950–55; after trickle-down (theory) ( def )

Example Sentences

He then branded socialism as "trickle-up poverty" and said, "it just impoverishes everything."

From Salon

Decentralized, people-centered approaches can have trickle-up effects to improving governance and transparency throughout a region plagued by corruption.

From Washington Post

Twitter’s recent action can also be seen as a “trickle-up” triumph for fact-checking.

From Washington Post

Billionaire entrepreneur and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban touted his "trickle-up economics" plan on "The Story" Monday, calling for direct payments of $1,000 to American households while unemployment benefits are expanded through the end of July.

From Fox News

In large part due to the trickle-up effect of lower-level offenses to the NFL, a lot of these players haven’t taken a snap from under center since high school or earlier.

From Los Angeles Times