uptick

noun

up·​tick ˈəp-ˌtik 

plural upticks

1

: an increase, rise, or upward trend

For the professional middle class in particular, an uptick in innovation and a return to faster economic growth would solve many problems, and likely reignite income growth.

—Don Peck

Any near-term uptick in jobs will probably be small, because there's still plenty to be milked from existing workers.

—Rana Foroohar

2

finance : a stock market transaction at a price above the last previous transaction in the same security

Hong Kong has long required that stocks can only be sold short on upticks, meaning when the last trade of a specific stock in the market was higher than the preceding trade of that stock.

—Martin Fackler and Keith Bradsher

compare downtick sense 2

Synonyms of uptick

• increase
• boost
• gain
• addition
• rise

Examples of uptick in a Sentence

an uptick in sales over the last fiscal year

Recent Examples on the Web

But a recent uptick in both national and Chicago area police abusing Flock cameras has heightened residents’ concerns about their privacy, security and whether the technology’s public safety benefits ultimately outweigh its risks. — Claire Murphy, Chicago Tribune, 25 Sep. 2026

The uptick in ridership was kneecapped by the company’s tension between the need to raise fares and its need to bring in more passengers, wrote Fitch Ratings in its analysis that coupled a credit downgrading earlier this year. — Joshua Ceballos, Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 2026

Democrats have seen an uptick in Republican support in recent votes to end the war, as the administration has blown through timelines to seek congressional approval for the conflict. — Garrett Downs, CNBC, 24 Sep. 2026

The network-streaming relationship and the uptick in series orders have Berman feeling good about the next couple of years for his clients, and for network TV. — Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 23 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

up entry 2 + tick entry 1

First Known Use

1952, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for uptick

• broomstick
• dipstick
• homesick
• joystick
• lipstick
• nonstick
• pickwick
• picnic
• redbrick
• seasick
• sidekick
• slapstick

Kids Definition

uptick

noun

up·​tick ˈəp-ˌtik 

: an increase, rise, or upward trend

an uptick in cost