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

Hughes, who started in her role in July 2025, attributed the uptick to outreach by faculty, staff and current students to prospective enrollees, including students reaching out with personal notes and on social media. — Amy Lavalley, Chicago Tribune, 26 July 2026

The hope is that a summer COVID uptick will continue to be weaker than in previous summers. — Los Angeles Times, 24 July 2026

Their 2025 performances raised questions Sellers saw dips in completion percentage, passing efficiency, yards per play, off-target percentage and touchdowns and a slight uptick in his interception rate. — Sam Khan Jr, New York Times, 24 July 2026

By contrast, significant upticks in routine vaccination coverage in Sudan, a country embroiled in a brutal civil conflict, show that access to lifesaving services for children can improve even in a difficult operating environment. — Maryanne Murray Buechner, Forbes.com, 23 July 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