upside

1 of 2

noun

up·​side ˈəp-ˌsīd How to pronounce upside (audio)
1
: an upward trend (as of prices)
2
a
: a positive aspect
b
: promise, potential
a young star with lots of upside

upside

2 of 2

preposition

up·​side ˈəp-ˈsīd How to pronounce upside (audio)
: up on or against the side of
layin' in this death cell, writin' my time upside the wallLonnie 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
The upside to all this is that Valory has finally been able to finish his solo LP All of the Above, which arrives April 12. Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 14 Mar. 2024 But unlike the issue of immigration, the two parties are not divided over TikTok; both see a political upside to backing policies that take aim at China. Jonathan Swan, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2024 The only upside to the Academy’s indifference is that Anderson didn’t have to waste time on an awards campaign. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024 The only upside to this horrible disposition is comedy. Jennifer Maas, Variety, 9 Mar. 2024 Here are some of the upsides of choosing a midsize partner: 1. Leon Ginsburg, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 Compared to other defensive ends, Trice doesn't have the athletic upside like Turner or polish like Latu. Ayrton Ostly, USA TODAY, 21 Feb. 2024 But neither offers the upside of Miller, a fourth-round pick of the Phillies in 2019 who was sent west last summer in exchange for Yunior Marte. Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 21 Feb. 2024 The best Boston films embody the spirit of the city, for all of its upsides and downsides. Derek Lawrence, EW.com, 5 Mar. 2024
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 Louisville City slapped the New England Revolution upside the head 2-1. San Antonio Express-News, 6 June 2018 Then, astonishingly, in the open court, after a whistle blew, Heat guard Goran Dragic cuffed Simmons upside the head after Simmons stole the ball from him, and after Simmons already had been fouled by him. Marcus Hayes, Philly.com, 24 Apr. 2018 But Ingalls, who joined the Lips after first starting with that band as a behind the scenes tech for, can also knock listeners upside the head. AL.com, 4 Feb. 2018 Let’s not hit them upside their damn heads 100 times. Tim Rohan, SI.com, 29 Jan. 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'upside.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

up entry 2 + side entry 1

Preposition

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

First Known Use

Noun

1927, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Preposition

1929, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of upside was in 1927

Dictionary Entries Near upside

Cite this Entry

“Upside.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upside. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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