uphill

1 of 3

adverb

up·​hill ˈəp-ˈhil 

1

: upward on a hill or incline

2

: against difficulties

… seemed to be talking uphill.

—Willa Cather

uphill

2 of 3

noun

up·​hill ˈəp-ˌhil 

: rising ground : ascent

uphill

3 of 3

adjective

up·​hill ˈəp-ˌhil 

1

: situated on elevated ground

2

a

: going up : ascending

b

: being the higher one or part especially of a set

specifically : being nearer the top of an incline

3

: difficult, laborious

Synonyms of uphill

Noun

• hill
• incline

Adjective

• difficult
• challenging
• tough
• hard
• rigorous
• demanding

Examples of uphill in a Sentence

Adverb

It is easier to ride a bicycle downhill than uphill.

Noun

no matter where you go bicycle touring, the uphills always seem to outnumber the downhills

Adjective

It has been an uphill battle for her to get an education.

an uphill battle to eradicate poverty in an area of the state that has never known anything else

Recent Examples on the Web

Adverb

Dillon has been fighting uphill since crashes ended his first two races, beginning with the 2026 Daytona 500. — Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026

And just that, seeing tearstains on my father’s cheeks, was like seeing water run uphill. — Literary Hub, 10 Aug. 2026

Noun

Accelerating after a steep uphill brings on a casual sa-konk, while a spirited stab at the throttle builds more of a theatrical response from the DCT. — Caleb Jacobs, The Drive, 2 Sep. 2026

The Picklejus aims for the complete package in mountain running, tackling not just distances greater than 100 miles but also the dramatic uphills and downhills that may come along the way. — Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 27 Aug. 2026

Adjective

On steep slopes, this mechanism also lets the ball control its downhill speed by simply angling the pendulum uphill. — IEEE Spectrum, 3 Sep. 2026

Worse, there is the inevitable prospect that her father (and boss), who understands the uphill nature of her position as a woman in an excessively male sport, will inevitably collide with her sticky Russ-and-Chad situation. — Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

1535, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1548, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1613, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing uphill

• uphill battle

Rhymes for uphill

• anthill
• backfill
• bluegill
• crossbill
• distil
• distill
• downhill
• dunghill
• foothill
• fulfil
• fulfill
• goodwill

Kids Definition

uphill

1 of 2 adverb

up·​hill ˈəp-ˈhil 

1

: in an upward direction

2

: against difficulties

uphill

2 of 2 adjective

up·​hill ˌəp-ˌhil 

1

: being on high ground

2

: going up : ascending

3

: difficult sense 1

an uphill struggle