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

By the time Hood comes back upstairs, Chayton has Siobhan by her neck. — Ew Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 25 June 2026

His parents were rummaging around upstairs somewhere. — Tim Rohan, NBC news, 25 June 2026

Adjective

Picture a black-and-white shot of a wintry mansion where a Minion lies dying in an upstairs bedroom. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026

The family moved constantly, including, once, into the apartment of an upstairs neighbor who’d jumped to his death. — Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 22 June 2026

Noun

Because its site slopes steeply, the house has upstairs and downstairs entrances. — Dean Kaufman, Curbed, 30 June 2026

Their upstairs is also a masterclass in color and pattern mixing—and serves as the ultimate kid zone. — Ella Field, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 June 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