uphill

1 of 3

adverb

up·​hill ˈəp-ˈhil How to pronounce uphill (audio)
1
: upward on a hill or incline
2
: against difficulties
seemed to be talking uphillWilla Cather

uphill

2 of 3

noun

up·​hill ˈəp-ˌhil How to pronounce uphill (audio)
: rising ground : ascent

uphill

3 of 3

adjective

up·​hill ˈəp-ˌhil How to pronounce uphill (audio)
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

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
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
Rather than the typical roller coaster experience of starting with a climb uphill, Rapterra accelerates 65mph in four seconds, blasting riders right out of the station — imitating the bird's motion when its hunting for prey. Alexandra Schonfeld, People.com, 19 June 2025 But that won’t come from big talk or press releases—it’ll come from actually fixing the system, so the people doing the building can move forward without constantly fighting uphill. Steve Osler, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
Noun
To him, running a business is like riding a bike uphill. Michael Ashley, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025 Alone, the bipartisan lawmakers face another uphill slog to pass such legislature. Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
But the extra oomph of an uphill climb can also strain your Achilles tendons and calves, which can then tug on your plantar fascia, too, Dr. DeLott says. Erica Sloan, SELF, 20 June 2025 Making the playoffs is going to be a steep uphill climb, and every multi-run collapse like Wednesday night’s hammers morale. Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 20 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for uphill

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of uphill was in 1535

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Uphill.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/uphill. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

uphill

1 of 2 adverb
up·​hill ˈəp-ˈhil How to pronounce uphill (audio)
1
: in an upward direction
2
: against difficulties

uphill

2 of 2 adjective
up·​hill ˌəp-ˌhil How to pronounce uphill (audio)
1
: being on high ground
2
: going up : ascending
3
: difficult sense 1
an uphill struggle

More from Merriam-Webster on uphill

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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