How do you use "Keeping up with the Joneses" in a sentence?

It's all about keeping up with the Joneses. Stop trying to keep up with the Joneses. The Joneses next door have a new car.

Keeping up with the Joneses

Q: What does "Keeping up with the Joneses" mean?

Competing with neighbours for status The effort to match or exceed the lifestyle and possessions of one's neighbours or social peers, driven by status anxiety.

Slang Term BritishAmericanAustralian ★★★★★ Very Common Casual

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Meaning: Competing with neighbours for status

与邻居攀比地位

Competir con los vecinos por estatus

近所の人と見栄を張り合う

이웃과 체면 경쟁을 하는 것

The effort to match or exceed the lifestyle and possessions of one's neighbours or social peers, driven by status anxiety.

出于地位焦虑，努力追赶或超越邻居或同阶层人的生活方式和财物。

El esfuerzo por igualar o superar el estilo de vida y las posesiones de los vecinos o del entorno social, impulsado por la ansiedad de estatus.

地位への不安から、近所の人や同じ社会的立場の人のライフスタイルや持ち物に追いつこうとする、あるいは上回ろうとする努力。

이웃이나 사회적 동료의 생활 수준과 소유물에 뒤처지지 않으려는 노력. 체면 불안에서 비롯된다.

Examples

It's all about keeping up with the Joneses.
说到底就是跟邻居攀比
todo se reduce a competir con los vecinos
結局は隣の人に負けまいとしているだけだ
결국은 이웃에게 뒤처지지 않으려는 것일 뿐이다.
Stop trying to keep up with the Joneses.
别再跟邻居攀比了
deja de intentar competir con los vecinos
近所と張り合うのはやめなさい
남들과 경쟁하려고 하지 마.
The Joneses next door have a new car.
隔壁的琼斯家又买新车了
los vecinos de al lado tienen coche nuevo
隣のジョーンズさんが新車を買った
옆집이 새 차를 샀다.

Pronunciation

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, social commentary

Tone: critical of status anxiety

✓ Do Say

Keeping up with the Joneses
跟邻居攀比
competir con los vecinos
近所に負けまいとする
이웃 따라잡기
Who are the Joneses anyway?
琼斯家到底是谁？
¿quiénes son los vecinos con los que compites?
そもそもジョーンズって誰？
대체 남들이 뭐라고

✗ Don't Say

N/A—widely understood
不适用，广为理解的表达
No aplica, expresión ampliamente entendida
特になし、広く理解されている表現
해당 없음—널리 이해되는 표현

Common Mistakes

None significant

Origin & History

From an American comic strip 'Keeping Up with the Joneses' (1913-1940) by Arthur R. Momand, satirizing status competition in suburbia.

Etymology: From 1913 comic strip title

First recorded: 1913 comic strip

Cultural Context

Era: 1913 onwards

Generation: All generations

Social background: About middle-class competition

Pop culture: Comic strip; General usage

Regional notes: American origin, universal now.

Variations

Keeping up with the JonesesThe Joneses