upside

1 of 2

noun

up·​side ˈəp-ˌsīd How to pronounce upside (audio)
1
: an upward trend (as of prices)
2
a
: a positive aspect
b
: promise, potential
a young star with lots of upside

upside

2 of 2

preposition

up·​side ˈəp-ˈsīd How to pronounce upside (audio)
: up on or against the side of
layin' in this death cell, writin' my time upside the wallLonnie Johnson
smacked him upside the head

Examples of upside in a Sentence

Noun One upside to the new house is its location.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The best Boston films embody the spirit of the city, for all of its upsides and downsides. Derek Lawrence, EW.com, 5 Mar. 2024 Snow could boost California water supply One upside of the storm will be its effect on the state’s water supply. Sara Tonks, CNN, 2 Mar. 2024 He’s positioned to take Young’s spot in the offense and coaches love his upside. Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 1 Mar. 2024 One of the only upsides to high interest rates is the HYSA, and millennials are taking note. Crissi Cole, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 One upside to seeing it in a rural area is that there won't be tall buildings around to obstruct the view, Makepeace said. Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 25 Feb. 2024 Though a vintage wedding dress comes with strings attached—there might be repairs, unalterable elements, or imperfections due to age, the upside is endless. Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 22 Feb. 2024 Both of these players are in their early thirties and have significant experience playing in this league, which is an element of upside that this Thunder roster didn’t have before. Nick Crain, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024 Spotify, in particular, is planning for a future in which Apple cannot slap a 30 percent fee on all digital transactions, which could have a huge upside for Spotify’s subscription and audiobook businesses. Ariel Shapiro, The Verge, 21 Feb. 2024
Preposition
Bernard’s intensity, red-hot motor and likable athleticism should enable him to develop into a special teams ace under coordinator John Fassel’s tutelage. Plus, his coverage ability and adequate instincts give him upside as a defender. John Owning, Dallas News, 1 May 2020 Would the occasional smack upside the head improve the situation? David Roberts, Vox, 3 July 2018 Louisville City slapped the New England Revolution upside the head 2-1. San Antonio Express-News, 6 June 2018 Then, astonishingly, in the open court, after a whistle blew, Heat guard Goran Dragic cuffed Simmons upside the head after Simmons stole the ball from him, and after Simmons already had been fouled by him. Marcus Hayes, Philly.com, 24 Apr. 2018 But Ingalls, who joined the Lips after first starting with that band as a behind the scenes tech for, can also knock listeners upside the head. AL.com, 4 Feb. 2018 Let’s not hit them upside their damn heads 100 times. Tim Rohan, SI.com, 29 Jan. 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'upside.' 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

Noun

up entry 2 + side entry 1

Preposition

perhaps from up entry 1 + -side (as in alongside)

First Known Use

Noun

1927, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Preposition

1929, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of upside was in 1927

Dictionary Entries Near upside

Cite this Entry

“Upside.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upside. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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