upright

1 of 3

adjective

up·​right ˈəp-ˌrīt 

1

a

: perpendicular, vertical

b

: erect in carriage or posture

c

: having the main axis or a main part perpendicular

upright freezer

2

: marked by strong moral rectitude

an upright citizen

uprightly adverb

uprightness noun

upright

2 of 3

adverb

: vertically upward : in an upright position

upright

3 of 3

noun

1

: the state of being upright : perpendicular

a pillar out of upright

2

: something that stands upright

especially : a football goalpost

—usually used in plural

3

: upright piano

Synonyms

Adjective

• honorable
• honest
• ethical
• nice
• true
• good
• decent
• moral

Choose the Right Synonym for upright

upright, honest, just, conscientious, scrupulous, honorable mean having or showing a strict regard for what is morally right.

upright implies a strict adherence to moral principles.

a stern and upright minister

honest stresses adherence to such virtues as truthfulness, candor, or fairness.

known for being honest in business dealings

just stresses conscious choice and regular practice of what is right or equitable.

workers given just compensation

conscientious and scrupulous imply an active moral sense governing all one's actions and painstaking efforts to follow one's conscience.

conscientious in the completion of her assignments

scrupulous in carrying out the terms of the will

honorable suggests a firm holding to codes of right behavior and the guidance of a high sense of honor and duty.

a difficult but honorable decision

Examples of upright in a Sentence

Adjective

Put your seat back in the upright position.

The container should be kept upright to prevent leaks.

Noun

The uprights of the structure were embedded in concrete.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Inspectors shut down the Sacramento Mexican food restaurant after finding live adult and nymph German cockroaches at the rear of the facility, at the closed interior gate and under the three-door upright refrigerator. —Sacbee.com, 10 Sep. 2025

For cruising around town while keeping tabs on the surrounding potholes, traffic and pedestrians, however, many cyclists prefer the more commanding, upright, back-friendly stance offered by a flat handlebar. —New Atlas, 9 Sep. 2025

Adverb

Pills dissolved twice as fast when taken lying down on the right side compared to sitting upright, while lying on the left side slowed absorption by up to five times. —Alyssa Hui-Anderson, Verywell Health, 8 Sep. 2025

But that required him to sleep upright. —Sacbee.com, 2 Sep. 2025

Noun

Moody’s final gaffes — a 27-yard try off the left upright a minute before halftime, a 36-yarder blocked in the third quarter — carried over bad mojo that has followed him since the end of his rookie season. —Cam Inman, Mercury News, 9 Sep. 2025

Roughly 89 hours after landing in Buffalo, there Prater was knocking the game-winning, walk-off 32-yard field goal through the uprights to beat the Baltimore Ravens 41-40 in what could be the NFL’s game of the year. —Joe Buscaglia, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adverb

12th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1683, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing upright

• sit bolt upright
• upright piano

Rhymes for upright

• affright
• airtight
• albite
• alight
• alright
• aplite
• aright
• bainite
• birthright
• bobwhite
• bornite
• bullfight

Kids Definition

upright

1 of 2 adjective

up·​right ˈəp-ˌrīt 

1

a

: vertical entry 1 sense 2

an upright posture

b

: having the main axis or a main part perpendicular

2

: living by high moral standards : honorable

uprightness noun

upright

2 of 2 noun

1

: an upright or vertical position

2

: something upright