1
: to and fro
paced up and down
2
: so as to move upward and then downward repeatedly
jumping up and down
3
archaic
: here and there especially throughout an area
4
: with regard to every particular : thoroughly
knew the territory up and down
up and down
preposition
Examples of up-and-down in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Karen Deyoung, Washington Post, 22 Nov. 2023
Sports After an up-and-down career, White Abarrio takes victory in Breeders’ Cup Classic
Nov. 4, 2023
Because Del Mar is owned by the state, its attendance figures are public record and audited.
—John Cherwa, Los Angeles Times, 8 Nov. 2023
This up-and-down temperature pattern is about to relent to cooler air starting Friday into the weekend.
—Ian Livingston, Washington Post, 8 Nov. 2023
As a student of film history, Payne knows well the up-and-down cycles of cinematic careers.
—Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2023
For the hostages’ families, it’s been an anguishing, up-and-down week.
—Adam Sella, New York Times, 21 Oct. 2023
It’s been a little more up-and-down for the Jets, who lost their star quarterback Aaron Rodgers just four plays into the first game of the year.
—Tim Chan, Variety, 15 Oct. 2023
During this gathering, Aaliyah was ready to give things a second try, but Uche rejected the offer, citing his frustrations with Aaliyah's inconsistencies and up-and-down behavior after the experiment.
—Joelle Goldstein, Peoplemag, 14 Oct. 2023
Another crucial feature of dressing for fall’s up-and-down weather is layers.
—Malia Griggs, SELF, 11 Oct. 2023
William Goodman, Men's Health, 8 Apr. 2023
Councilmember Marcus Bush said that repealing the cruising ban was not just about being free to take a person’s ride up and down a city street.
—Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2023
Over the coming weeks, the ship would be seen cruising up and down the Hudson River, astounding locals who gawked at its six decks, helipad and hot tub.
—Paul Kiel, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2023
In 1953, the same year Roger Mastrude drove up and down the West Coast for the Foreign Policy Association, Langston Hughes published a short story in the Chicago Defender in which his character Simple, a stand-in for the common man, wishes to become a giant.
—Andrew Lanham, The New Republic, 5 Apr. 2023
Other interior features include smart air vents that swivel side to side and up and down with the aid of electric motors.
—Csaba Csere, Car and Driver, 5 Apr. 2023
It's always been very up and down.
—Julia Moore, Peoplemag, 3 Apr. 2023
And round heads are the easiest to move up and down and rotate while also concealing the mechanical joints and electronics inside.
—IEEE Spectrum, 11 Feb. 2023
See More
Adjective
That up-and-down series of events was illustrative of how the talks moved.
—Karen Deyoung, Washington Post, 22 Nov. 2023
Sports After an up-and-down career, White Abarrio takes victory in Breeders’ Cup Classic
Nov. 4, 2023
Because Del Mar is owned by the state, its attendance figures are public record and audited.
—John Cherwa, Los Angeles Times, 8 Nov. 2023
This up-and-down temperature pattern is about to relent to cooler air starting Friday into the weekend.
—Ian Livingston, Washington Post, 8 Nov. 2023
As a student of film history, Payne knows well the up-and-down cycles of cinematic careers.
—Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2023
For the hostages’ families, it’s been an anguishing, up-and-down week.
—Adam Sella, New York Times, 21 Oct. 2023
It’s been a little more up-and-down for the Jets, who lost their star quarterback Aaron Rodgers just four plays into the first game of the year.
—Tim Chan, Variety, 15 Oct. 2023
During this gathering, Aaliyah was ready to give things a second try, but Uche rejected the offer, citing his frustrations with Aaliyah's inconsistencies and up-and-down behavior after the experiment.
—Joelle Goldstein, Peoplemag, 14 Oct. 2023
Another crucial feature of dressing for fall’s up-and-down weather is layers.
—Malia Griggs, SELF, 11 Oct. 2023
Adverb
On the courts of the Roundball Classic, Vaccaro forged connections with all kinds of coaches and athletes up and down the East Coast.
—William Goodman, Men's Health, 8 Apr. 2023
Councilmember Marcus Bush said that repealing the cruising ban was not just about being free to take a person’s ride up and down a city street.
—Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2023
Over the coming weeks, the ship would be seen cruising up and down the Hudson River, astounding locals who gawked at its six decks, helipad and hot tub.
—Paul Kiel, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2023
In 1953, the same year Roger Mastrude drove up and down the West Coast for the Foreign Policy Association, Langston Hughes published a short story in the Chicago Defender in which his character Simple, a stand-in for the common man, wishes to become a giant.
—Andrew Lanham, The New Republic, 5 Apr. 2023
Other interior features include smart air vents that swivel side to side and up and down with the aid of electric motors.
—Csaba Csere, Car and Driver, 5 Apr. 2023
It's always been very up and down.
—Julia Moore, Peoplemag, 3 Apr. 2023
And round heads are the easiest to move up and down and rotate while also concealing the mechanical joints and electronics inside.
—IEEE Spectrum, 11 Feb. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'up-and-down.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Dictionary Entries Near up-and-down
Cite this Entry
“Up-and-down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/up-and-down. Accessed 2 Dec. 2023.
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Kids Definition
up-and-down
adjective1
: marked by alternate upward and downward movement, action, or surface
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