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

Some of these girls must understand that, a couple of times a month, something happens between their parents and the Handmaid who lives upstairs. —Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 13 May 2026

The play begins with a forbidding thumping on a glass window outside a bare bones upstairs apartment where B lives a subsistence-level life with his mother. —Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 13 May 2026

Adjective

According to Your Erie, Williams' children were found in an upstairs bedroom in a property in the 500 block of East 26th Street. —Latoya Gayle, PEOPLE, 12 May 2026

Both the prosecution and defense questioned Watson about pieces of a broken mirror which were photographed in an upstairs room of the house. —Evy Lewis, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2026

Noun

And then my family kind of eluded to it a little bit after upstairs. —Staff Report, Twin Cities, 9 May 2026

Two primary suites include one on the main level and another upstairs, while the lower floor holds a movie theater, gym, massage room, sauna, wine cellar, beauty salon, creative workspace, and vocal booth. —Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 5 May 2026

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
• compares
• crosshairs
• declares
• despairs
• downstairs
• forbears
• forebears
• housewares
• impairs

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