upside

1 of 2

noun

up·​side ˈəp-ˌsīd 

1

: an upward trend (as of prices)

2

a

: a positive aspect

One upside to the house is its great location.

b

: promise, potential

a young star with lots of upside

upside

2 of 2

preposition

up·​side ˈəp-ˈsīd 

: up on or against the side of

… layin' in this death cell, writin' my time upside the wall …

—Lonnie 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

Zellweger has the highest upside of the options listed and the closest stylistic match to Byram. — Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026

Weight-loss and diabetes GLP-1 drugs represent additional upside that is currently not included in the 2035 sales target, the company said. — Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 8 Sep. 2026

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

Word History

Etymology

Noun

up entry 2 + side entry 1

Preposition

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

First Known Use

Noun

1914, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Preposition

1897, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing upside

• on the upside
• turn (something) upside down
• upside down
• upside-down cake
• upside the head

Rhymes for upside

• abide
• allied
• applied
• aside
• astride
• azide
• backside
• bankside
• bastide
• bayside
• bedside
• belied