variants
or upwards
1
a
: in a direction from lower to higher
the kite rose upward
b(1)
: toward the source (as of a river)
(2)
: toward the interior (as of a region)
c
: in a higher position
held out his hand, palm upward
d
: in the upper parts : toward the head : above
from the waist upward
2
: toward a higher or better condition or level
young lawyers moving upward
3
a
: to an indefinitely greater amount, figure, or rank
from $5 upward
b
: toward a greater amount or higher number, degree, or rate
attendance figures have risen upward
4
: toward or into later years
from youth upward
1
: directed toward or situated in a higher place or level : ascending
2
: rising to a higher pitch
upwardly
adverb
upwardness
noun
Examples of upward in a Sentence
Adverb
The road gradually rose upward.
She directed my gaze upward.
They are moving upward socially and economically.
moving upward in the corporate world
Adjective
an upward revision of the vote tally
Recent Examples on the Web
Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024
In the housing market, excessive wealth exerts upward pressure on rents and home prices.
—Gabriela Sandoval, The Mercury News, 13 Apr. 2024
Those projections had been revised downward this winter, but are now being revised upward by $13.2 million in the mayor’s new proposal.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2024
The cut for the top 50 and ties moved upward all afternoon and finally settled at 6-over-par 150, three strokes higher than 147 a year ago.
—Bob Spear, Charlotte Observer, 12 Apr. 2024
Socha told me he’s been noticing people whose toes don’t touch the ground, and instead are slanted upward.
—Laura Lancaster, Outdoor Life, 11 Apr. 2024
Whitetail antlers, on the other hand, typically feature tines that grow straight upward from a pair of main beams.
—Scott Bestul, Field & Stream, 10 Apr. 2024
Eyes turned upward both inside and outside the path of totality, from ranches in the Texas hill country and blankets spread out in Washington on the National Mall.
—USA TODAY, 9 Apr. 2024
Sudden bursts of cheering rang out from the growing sea of viewers donning eclipse glasses and tilting cameras upward at the ready, as the partial eclipse peeked through dark clouds in fleeting intervals.
—Aliza Chasan, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2024
Rocio Fabbro, Quartz, 12 Apr. 2024
According to Anton, the upward trend of positive results from U.S. tests forecasts an eventual assembly plant here in Fort Worth, which the company says, will mean the hiring of local workers.
—Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Apr. 2024
Ian Shepherdson, chief economist with Pantheon Macroeconomics, isn't quite convinced the latest CPI data, while painful, signifies an upward trend, rather than a bumpy road.
—CBS News, 10 Apr. 2024
As the information technology sector may be about to pause the upward price moves, the steel industry appears to be gaining in popularity.
—John Navin, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024
Taken together, the supply disruption from the port closure and bridge collapse could put slight upward pressure on U.S. prices, Zandi said.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 26 Mar. 2024
Instead of doors, the cabin is entered through an upward swinging windshield.
—Peter Valdes-Dapena, CNN, 16 Mar. 2024
On March 5, the price of the cryptocurrency swelled to a record high—and has continued its upward march.
—Joel Khalili, WIRED, 12 Mar. 2024
In addition, an influx of immigrants into the job market is believed to have addressed labor shortages and slowed upward pressure on wage growth.
—Paul Wiseman, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2024
Adverb
The propellers began to spin with the sound of leaf blowers, the craft reared back, and I was wrenched upward, pinned to my seat, heart hammering.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024
In the housing market, excessive wealth exerts upward pressure on rents and home prices.
—Gabriela Sandoval, The Mercury News, 13 Apr. 2024
Those projections had been revised downward this winter, but are now being revised upward by $13.2 million in the mayor’s new proposal.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2024
The cut for the top 50 and ties moved upward all afternoon and finally settled at 6-over-par 150, three strokes higher than 147 a year ago.
—Bob Spear, Charlotte Observer, 12 Apr. 2024
Socha told me he’s been noticing people whose toes don’t touch the ground, and instead are slanted upward.
—Laura Lancaster, Outdoor Life, 11 Apr. 2024
Whitetail antlers, on the other hand, typically feature tines that grow straight upward from a pair of main beams.
—Scott Bestul, Field & Stream, 10 Apr. 2024
Eyes turned upward both inside and outside the path of totality, from ranches in the Texas hill country and blankets spread out in Washington on the National Mall.
—USA TODAY, 9 Apr. 2024
Sudden bursts of cheering rang out from the growing sea of viewers donning eclipse glasses and tilting cameras upward at the ready, as the partial eclipse peeked through dark clouds in fleeting intervals.
—Aliza Chasan, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2024
Adjective
Inflation popped up in March, with the consumer price index rising to 3.5%, continuing an upward trend that has started 2024 on the wrong foot for the Fed.
—Rocio Fabbro, Quartz, 12 Apr. 2024
According to Anton, the upward trend of positive results from U.S. tests forecasts an eventual assembly plant here in Fort Worth, which the company says, will mean the hiring of local workers.
—Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Apr. 2024
Ian Shepherdson, chief economist with Pantheon Macroeconomics, isn't quite convinced the latest CPI data, while painful, signifies an upward trend, rather than a bumpy road.
—CBS News, 10 Apr. 2024
As the information technology sector may be about to pause the upward price moves, the steel industry appears to be gaining in popularity.
—John Navin, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024
Taken together, the supply disruption from the port closure and bridge collapse could put slight upward pressure on U.S. prices, Zandi said.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 26 Mar. 2024
Instead of doors, the cabin is entered through an upward swinging windshield.
—Peter Valdes-Dapena, CNN, 16 Mar. 2024
On March 5, the price of the cryptocurrency swelled to a record high—and has continued its upward march.
—Joel Khalili, WIRED, 12 Mar. 2024
In addition, an influx of immigrants into the job market is believed to have addressed labor shortages and slowed upward pressure on wage growth.
—Paul Wiseman, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'upward.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near upward
Cite this Entry
“Upward.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upward. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
upward
2 of 2 adjective
: directed toward or located in a higher place or level : ascending
upwardly
adverb
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