uptick

noun

up·​tick ˈəp-ˌtik 

plural upticks

1

: an increase, rise, or upward trend

For the professional middle class in particular, an uptick in innovation and a return to faster economic growth would solve many problems, and likely reignite income growth.

—Don Peck

Any near-term uptick in jobs will probably be small, because there's still plenty to be milked from existing workers.

—Rana Foroohar

2

finance : a stock market transaction at a price above the last previous transaction in the same security

Hong Kong has long required that stocks can only be sold short on upticks, meaning when the last trade of a specific stock in the market was higher than the preceding trade of that stock.

—Martin Fackler and Keith Bradsher

compare downtick sense 2

Synonyms of uptick

• increase
• boost
• gain
• addition
• rise

Examples of uptick in a Sentence

an uptick in sales over the last fiscal year

Recent Examples on the Web

The recent uptick in Russian attacks coincides with a critical shortage of air defense missiles in Ukraine, where Moscow consistently denies targeting civilians. — Daria Tarasova-Markina, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2026

An uptick in consumer spending and an acceleration of investment made up the primary causes of economic growth in the third quarter, the government report noted. — ABC News, 29 Oct. 2026

Brown on whether the Knicks are fixed, cover for Towns’ uptick in turnovers, the little things Hart does that contribute to winning, and a look around the league. — Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 28 Oct. 2026

The uptick in earnings came as factory-gate prices rose at their fastest pace since mid-2022, driven by higher energy and raw material prices amid the Middle East conflict. — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

up entry 2 + tick entry 1

First Known Use

1952, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for uptick

• broomstick
• dipstick
• homesick
• joystick
• lipstick
• nonstick
• pickwick
• picnic
• redbrick
• seasick
• sidekick
• slapstick

Kids Definition

uptick

noun

up·​tick ˈəp-ˌtik 

: an increase, rise, or upward trend

an uptick in cost