Uppity describes a person who acts as if they are better or more important than they really are, especially by not showing proper respect to people who expect it. It is a criticism, always. If you call someone uppity, you are saying they have stepped above the place you think they belong. The word is informal and a little old-fashioned, and it carries a strong smell of the speaker's own attitude: a boss might call a young worker uppity for asking questions, a parent might call a child uppity for arguing back. Here is the part learners must know. In American English, uppity has an ugly history. It was used by white speakers about Black people who refused to be servile, and that use is still close enough to the surface that the word can land as racist, especially in phrases like 'uppity' plus a group name. Many Americans now hear the word as a warning sign about the speaker, not about the person being described. In British and Australian English it is milder and mostly about class or attitude — 'don't get uppity with me' just means 'don't take that tone'. Because you cannot control which ear is listening, this is a word to understand when you read it and to avoid when you write. Safer choices: arrogant, stuck-up, disrespectful, full of himself.