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.
During the American gold rush, the folks selling picks and shovels to the miners made a lot of money. — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026 The world’s next high-tech gold rush might start with a tiny organism clinging to a backyard rock. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 24 Aug. 2026 Investors have described Nvidia as the company selling the picks and shovels of the AI gold rush. — Sanjit Singh Dang, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026 The gold rush for artificial intelligence has already created a windfall for the state from a surge in income tax collected on stock market gains. — Nilesh Christopher, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 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 28 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on gold rush

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about gold rush

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