1
: upward on a hill or incline
2
: against difficulties
… seemed to be talking uphill.—
Willa Cather
Willa CatherExamples 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
Roger Naylor, AZCentral.com, 27 Mar. 2026
As the residential community around Lake Tahoe has grown, bears have been pushed further uphill and become habituated to human food.
—Madison Chapman, Outside, 25 Mar. 2026
Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle, 13 Mar. 2026
The second half: make up some time The course gradually descends during the second half with most of the uphills run and done.
—Brom Hoban, Austin American Statesman, 12 Feb. 2026
Tony Jones, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026
The senator’s efforts to get a formal investigation and more information about the deal likely faces an uphill climb at DOJ.
—P.r. Lockhart, Hartford Courant, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for uphill
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Adverb
The trail angles uphill from the start, over rough rocky ground.
—Roger Naylor, AZCentral.com, 27 Mar. 2026
As the residential community around Lake Tahoe has grown, bears have been pushed further uphill and become habituated to human food.
—Madison Chapman, Outside, 25 Mar. 2026
Noun
When a bicyclist right behind me takes a spill on a slow uphill near UCSF Medical Center, my instinct is to dial 911.
—Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle, 13 Mar. 2026
The second half: make up some time The course gradually descends during the second half with most of the uphills run and done.
—Brom Hoban, Austin American Statesman, 12 Feb. 2026
Adjective
Winning against a Rockets team fighting for homecourt advantage will be an uphill climb, but the Sixers have won important games this season when shorthanded.
—Tony Jones, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026
The senator’s efforts to get a formal investigation and more information about the deal likely faces an uphill climb at DOJ.
—P.r. Lockhart, Hartford Courant, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for uphill
Cite this Entry
“Uphill.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/uphill. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
