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

Continue to set up the nursery upstairs so the girls can see this is all temporary. —Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 15 Dec. 2025

Some families have chosen the middle ground — placing one minimalist tree in the living room for style, then a second upstairs for the kids to decorate. —Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 15 Dec. 2025

Adjective

The diapers are upstairs, so Frankie goes to get one, while Rob places Betsy on the changing mat on the kitchen island. —Barry Levitt, Time, 12 Dec. 2025

There wasn't anyone inside the first floor of the building at the time of the crash, but there was a family living in an upstairs apartment who had to be evacuated. —Tina Patel, CBS News, 12 Dec. 2025

Noun

The affair grows less decorous in farcical scenes of upstairs and downstairs life — kitchen staff toiling away on blunts, a trigger-happy shooting party, and cockney pub patrons breaking out in song — and the various side plots. —Elaina Patton, IndieWire, 3 Dec. 2025

That’s when this upstairs-downstairs comedy becomes a whodunit. —Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 31 Oct. 2025

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

Rhymes for upstairs

• affaires
• affairs
• armchairs
• bulgars
• compares
• crosshairs
• declares
• despairs
• downstairs
• forbears
• forebears
• housewares

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