upstairs

1 of 3

adverb

up·​stairs ˌəp-ˈsterz 

1

: up the stairs : on or to a higher floor

2

: to or at a high altitude or higher position

kicked upstairs to company management

3

: in the head : intellectually

a little slow upstairs

—Tom Clancy

upstairs

2 of 3

adjective

up·​stairs ˈəp-ˈsterz 

: situated above the stairs especially on an upper floor

an upstairs bedroom

upstairs

3 of 3

noun

up·​stairs ˈəp-ˈsterz 

ˈəp-ˌsterz

plural in form but singular or plural in construction

: the part of a building above the ground floor

Examples of upstairs in a Sentence

Adverb

When you go upstairs, bring these towels with you.

She was on her way upstairs when she heard a car drive up.

Adjective

You can use the upstairs bathroom.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adverb

Humm has opened the doors to Clemente Bar, located just upstairs from the three Michelin-starred Eleven Madison Park. —Kristen Tauer, WWD, 15 Oct. 2024

There is a tango opera onstage, a tarot parlor in the back room, and mysteries revealed upstairs. —Duante Beddingfield, Detroit Free Press, 11 Oct. 2024

Adjective

The home also offered large skylights, high ceilings, an open floor plan, and an upstairs loft that the actor used as an office. —Claudia Williams, Architectural Digest, 17 Oct. 2024

The more intimate upstairs salon, where clothes will be browsed and tried on, is still jammed with ladders. —Nathan Heller, Vogue, 17 Oct. 2024

Noun

The Cosmos' upstairs is reached by a staircase that's integrated into the kitchen unit. —New Atlas, 12 Sep. 2024

Jewelry worth hundreds of thousands of dollars was locked in a safe upstairs. —CBS News, 27 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

1584, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1782, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1842, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing upstairs

• kick upstairs
• man upstairs
• the man upstairs
• the upstairs

Kids Definition

upstairs

1 of 3 adverb

up·​stairs ˈəp-ˈsta(ə)rz 

-ˈste(ə)rz

1

: up the stairs : to or on a higher floor

2

: to or at a higher position or level

upstairs

2 of 3 adjective

up·​stairs ˈəp-ˈsta(ə)rz 

-ˈste(ə)rz

: located on an upper floor

the upstairs bedroom

upstairs

3 of 3 noun

up·​stairs ˈəp-ˈsta(ə)rz  -ˈste(ə)rz 

ˈəp-ˌsta(ə)rz,

-ˌste(ə)rz

: the part of a building above the ground floor