above

1 of 4

adverb

1
a
: in the sky : overhead
the clouds above
b
: in or to heaven
2
a
: in or to a higher place
b
: higher on the same page or on a preceding page
except as stated above
c
d
: above zero
10 degrees above
3
: in or to a higher rank or number
30 and above
4
archaic : in addition : besides
5

above

2 of 4

preposition

1
a
: in or to a higher place than : over
a room above the store
b
: upriver of
anchored about 10 miles above the city
2
a
: superior to (as in rank, quality, or degree)
A sergeant is above a corporal.
b
: out of reach of
above suspicion
c
: in preference to
puts his child's needs above his own needs
d
: too proud or honorable to stoop to
not above taking undue credit
3
: exceeding in number, quantity, or size : more than
men above 50 years old
4
: as distinct from and in addition to
heard the whistle above the roar of the crowd

above

3 of 4

noun

plural above
1
a
: something that is above
Select one of the above.
b
: a person whose name is written above
Contact any of the above for more information.
2
a
: a higher authority
b
: heaven
Using Above as an Adjective or Noun: Usage Guide

Although still objected to by some, the use of above as a noun to mean "something that is above"

none of the above
the above is Theseus's opinion William Blake

and as an adjective

without the above reserve O. W. Holmes †1935
I was brought up on the above words Viscount Montgomery

has been long established as standard.

above

4 of 4

adjective

: written or discussed higher on the same page or on a preceding page
Contact me at the above address.

Examples of above in a Sentence

Adverb up above and down below Temperatures range from 5 below to 5 above. Preposition He raised his arms above his head. They hung a mirror above the mantel. We rented an apartment above a restaurant. Temperatures were above average all week. men above 50 years old She values her private time above her fame. He puts his child's needs above his own. Noun in her dying days she was supposedly visited by an angel from above
Recent Examples on the Web
Adverb
Watch Rowland look back at texting Nelly on Excel in the interview above. Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 7 Mar. 2024 Along with the Baja-style tacos at Bakersfield (mentioned above), here are five more of my favorite fish tacos in town. The Enquirer, 6 Mar. 2024 That’s what’s in the photo above, from a recipe featured on the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources website. Matthew Every, Field & Stream, 6 Mar. 2024 Marinated raw chicken in a large container was stored above ready to eat sauces in the walk-in cooler. Michael Braga, The Arizona Republic, 6 Mar. 2024 The 94-acre park, along the lakefront north of the War Memorial Center (seen at lower left in the video above), began as a Milwaukee County land reclamation project in 1957. Eva Wen, Journal Sentinel, 6 Mar. 2024 As noted above, The Last Dinner Party are the winners of the Brits Rising Star award. Paul Grein, Billboard, 2 Mar. 2024 Organization To manage a successful side hustle requires not only time management, as noted above, but also strong organizational skills to make effective use of that time. Rachel Wells, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2024 Some highlights of the interview follow; to hear the whole thing, along with an interview with Gaugh, go here for the podcast provider of your choice, listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or just press play above. Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 25 Feb. 2024
Preposition
March, so far, is averaging more than 8 degrees above normal. Jason Samenow, Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2024 Temperatures were several degrees above normal in dozens of cities from the north-central US to the Northeast – another clear indicator of exceptional warmth. Mary Gilbert, CNN, 8 Mar. 2024 The average percentage is over 97%, above the industry average, boosting your chances of securing better wins. Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2024 Under Biden’s proposal, corporations would no longer be able to deduct the expense of employee pay above $1 million, which could raise $270 billion over 10 years. Josh Boak, Fortune, 7 Mar. 2024 In the basement of what used to be a small farmhouse, the shock wave of explosions above ground distinctly changed the air pressure in the cramped, cold room, where a Ukrainian soldier was busily adjusting drone equipment. Thomas Gibbons-Neff, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2024 Even the three bills described above use different definitions. Calmatters, Orange County Register, 7 Mar. 2024 The results are not what some might expect, with some of the most affordable cities having rents far above the national average monthly rent of $1,702. Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 7 Mar. 2024 What’s more, the daily global temperature was exceptionally high during the first half of February, soaring about 3.6 degrees above pre-industrial levels on four consecutive days, February 8 through 11. Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2024
Noun
All of the above can have a significant positive impact on workplace occupants, which also includes contractors who periodically work out of the same offices and sites. Dr. Jeremy Nunn, Forbes, 28 Dec. 2022 All of the above makes Queensland, Australia, a top 2023 travel destination for you. Kirah Tabourn, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Dec. 2022 All of the above could have been at play Friday night for Kaneland and junior quarterback Troyer Carlson. Rick Armstrong, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2022 There’s more thematic resonance where all of the above comes from, including the stuff that sits right on the surface, like money, real estate, women working for creative fulfillment vs. women working to get paid. Time, 14 Oct. 2022 All of the above seems to be confirmed with today’s announcement. Stefene Russell, The Salt Lake Tribune, 14 Oct. 2022 In culinary uses, any of the above can help enhance both sweet and savory dishes. Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Oct. 2022 None of the above should be surprising or sound new to anyone who has been following Middle Eastern news for the past 15 years. Amir Avivi, WSJ, 8 Aug. 2022 All of the above should be clearly documented so new salespeople can be quickly trained and sales can be scaled. Pradeep Aradhya, Forbes, 13 June 2022
Adjective
Darvish’s curve had an above average 2731 rpm spin rate and high amounts of both horizontal (6.3 in.) and vertical (9.4 in.) movement. Tony Blengino, Forbes, 16 Feb. 2024 On January 22, the remains were entombed in an above ground mausoleum in the state’s historically Black Eden Cemetery. Justin Gamble, CNN, 9 Feb. 2024 More specifically, 256 of all $10 million and above deals occurred in the Big Apple, totaling a hefty $4.92 billion. Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 2 Feb. 2024 Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) declined 2% to $2.8 billion, coming in a little above guidance of $2.75 billion. Glenn Peoples, Billboard, 1 Feb. 2024 Rozier is also an above average player in isolation situations, using the dribble to create for himself and others. Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 24 Jan. 2024 The videos that identify the six above locations paint a picture of the movements of Hamas militants on that morning. Victoria Beaule, ABC News, 12 Oct. 2023 Alabama has an above average net tuition revenue, the money that comes from students excluding any aid or discounts, according to the State Higher Education Finance Report. Jemma Stephenson, al, 28 Aug. 2023 Professional installation for an above ground pool costs $1,000 to $3,000 on average. Kate McGregor, House Beautiful, 27 June 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'above.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adverb

Middle English above, aboven, going back to Old English abufan, from a- a- entry 1 + bufan "above" (akin to Old Saxon bi-oƀan, Middle Dutch bōven, Old Frisian bova, Middle High German bobene), from be- be- + ufan "above, from above," going back to Germanic *uban- (whence Old Saxon oƀana "from above," Old High German obana), from *ub- "above, on" + *-an-, adverbial suffix — more at over entry 1

Preposition

Middle English above, aboven, derivative of above, aboven above entry 1

Noun

Middle English above "a higher position," derivative of above, aboven above entry 1

Adjective

derivative of above entry 1

First Known Use

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Preposition

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1691, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Adjective

circa 1515, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of above was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near above

Cite this Entry

“Above.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/above. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

above

1 of 3 adverb
1
: in or to a higher place : overhead
2
: higher on the same or a preceding page
3
: in or to a higher rank or number

above

2 of 3 preposition
1
: in or to a higher place than : over
2
: superior to
a captain is above a lieutenant
above criticism
3
: too proud or honorable to stoop to
above such mean tricks
4
: exceeding in number, quantity, or size : more than
above the average
5
: as distinct from and in addition to
heard the bell above the roar of the crowd

above

3 of 3 adjective
: written above

Legal Definition

above

1 of 2 adverb
1
: higher on the same page or on a preceding page
the discussion above
2
: higher or superior in rank or authority
the court above

above

2 of 2 adjective
: written or discussed higher on the same page or on a preceding page
the above argument

More from Merriam-Webster on above

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