upside

1 of 2

noun

up·​side ˈəp-ˌsīd 

1

: an upward trend (as of prices)

2

a

: a positive aspect

One upside to the house is its great location.

b

: promise, potential

a young star with lots of upside

upside

2 of 2

preposition

up·​side ˈəp-ˈsīd 

: up on or against the side of

… layin' in this death cell, writin' my time upside the wall …

—Lonnie Johnson

smacked him upside the head

Examples of upside in a Sentence

Noun

One upside to the new house is its location.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

In each case, the contracts were built off of what would stand as less than mid-level money, with both having higher potential upside. — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 20 Sep. 2026

Brandon Fuentes of the University of Arizona’s department of psychiatry told Psychology Today that co-sleeping is associated with measurable health upsides, which means the trend is unlikely to harden into a blanket recommendation. — Lauren Schuster, Sacbee.com, 18 Sep. 2026

Preposition

Bernard’s intensity, red-hot motor and likable athleticism should enable him to develop into a special teams ace under coordinator John Fassel’s tutelage. Plus, his coverage ability and adequate instincts give him upside as a defender. — John Owning, Dallas News, 1 May 2020

Would the occasional smack upside the head improve the situation? — David Roberts, Vox, 3 July 2018

Word History

Etymology

Noun

up entry 2 + side entry 1

Preposition

perhaps from up entry 1 + -side (as in alongside)

First Known Use

Noun

1914, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Preposition

1897, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing upside

• on the upside
• turn (something) upside down
• upside down
• upside-down cake
• upside the head

Rhymes for upside

• abide
• allied
• applied
• aside
• astride
• azide
• backside
• bankside
• bastide
• bayside
• bedside
• belied