upon

1 of 2

preposition

up·​on ə-ˈpȯn How to pronounce upon (audio)
-ˈpän
Synonyms of uponnext
: on

upon

2 of 2

adverb

up·​on ə-ˈpȯn How to pronounce upon (audio)
-ˈpän
1
obsolete : on the surface : on it
2
obsolete : thereafter, thereon

Synonyms of upon

Examples of upon in a Sentence

Preposition He carefully placed the vase upon the table. They built their city upon a cliff overlooking the sea. She was seated upon a throne. an assault upon traditional values She was admitted to his office immediately upon her arrival. That kind of behavior is frowned upon.
Recent Examples on the Web
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Preposition
Investigations have also been known to call upon lip-reading experts to give evidence. Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2026 Both are strong finishers against the run, and both are capable pass-rushers when called upon. Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Feb. 2026 The Magic hope, when called upon, Isaac continues to remain stout on the defensive end when the team heads back on the road for its lone trip of the season to San Antonio on Sunday and Oklahoma City on Tuesday. Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Jan. 2026 Franglen was tasked with creating a score worthy of the depth and breadth of Cameron’s storytelling, which required him to call upon a wide range of styles and influences. Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 9 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for upon

Word History

First Known Use

Preposition

12th century, in the meaning defined above

Adverb

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of upon was in the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Upon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upon. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

upon

preposition
up·​on
ə-ˈpȯn
-ˈpän
-(ˌ)pən

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