upward

adverb

up·ward | \ˈəp-wərd

variants: or upwards \ˈəp-wərdz

Definition of upward

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : in a direction from lower to higher the kite rose upward

b(1) : toward the source (as of a river)

(2) : toward the interior (as of a region)

c : in a higher position held out his hand, palm upward

d : in the upper parts : toward the head : above from the waist upward

2 : toward a higher or better condition or level young lawyers moving upward

3a : to an indefinitely greater amount, figure, or rank from $5 upward

b : toward a greater amount or higher number, degree, or rate attendance figures have risen upward

4 : toward or into later years from youth upward

upward

adjective

Definition of upward (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : directed toward or situated in a higher place or level : ascending

2 : rising to a higher pitch

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Examples of upward in a Sentence

Adverb

The road gradually rose upward. She directed my gaze upward. They are moving upward socially and economically. moving upward in the corporate world

Adjective

an upward revision of the vote tally

Recent Examples on the Web: Adverb

Rodgers, who joined Hartford after making the California League All-Star Game last season, could be moving upward shortly, after such a successful first half. — Dom Amore, courant.com, "Brendan Rodgers Headlines 6 Yard Goats' All-Stars," 29 June 2018 Video published by the USGS showed asphalt roads being slowly consumed by a moving wall of molten rock, with thick red-hot lava glowing underneath, as black smoke billowed upward. — Rong-gong Lin Ii, latimes.com, "Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano destroys 35 structures; scientists say additional eruptions are likely," 8 May 2018 The Health Ministry earlier said the attack also set fire to the building, which could be seen in online videos showing thick black smoke billowing upward and security forces engaging in a gun battle. — Washington Post, "Militants attack Libyan election commission, 14 Killed," 2 May 2018 Levies have spiked upward in the Lower Merion Area, Radnor Township, and Tredyffrin/Easttown School Districts. — Meghan Bobrowsky, Philly.com, "Homeowners may hate them, however property taxes aren't going anywhere … but up," 11 July 2018 The heat deflectors radiate heat upward, complementing the effect of the Flavorizer bars, evening out the temperature distribution. — Kevin Dupzyk, Popular Mechanics, "Things Come Apart: Gas Grill," 2 July 2018 For Cleveland, title-minded ownership and all, there’s no sensible path upward before moving down. — Jeremy Woo, SI.com, "Examining the Biggest Ripple Effects of LeBron James's Decision to Join Lakers," 1 July 2018 This particular version of the DRAGON drone in the video has four modules and is shown rearranging itself into a square, as well as unraveling to move upward through a small opening. — Dani Deahl, The Verge, "This flying ‘dragon’ drone can change shape in midair," 28 June 2018 If the tears start mid makeup application, tilt your chin up, take a deep calming breath, and look upward. — Jessica Cruel, SELF, "9 Makeup Tips for People Whose Eyes Water All the Time," 20 June 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

That number has crept up in 13 consecutive seasons — the longest uninterrupted upward trend in major league history — to 22.3 percent this year. — Alex Speier, BostonGlobe.com, "What’s up with all the strikeouts in Major League Baseball?," 12 July 2018 Until recently, global stock prices were on a solid upward trend, offering the institutions an outlet for their money and leaving hedge funds with less opportunity to outperform. — Kosaku Narioka, WSJ, "Japan’s Institutional Investors Seek Reliable Returns in Hedge Funds," 3 June 2018 But the numbers are from a single hospital and officials could offer no firm reasons for the upward trend. — Bruce Selcraig, San Antonio Express-News, "University Hospital trauma cases on the rise," 29 May 2018 This, in turn, will sustain upward pressure on global oil prices for years to come. — Jake Meth, Fortune, "Trump Wants to Blame OPEC for High Oil Prices. But He’s Much More at Fault," 29 June 2018 Daren Blomquist, senior vice president with Attom Data Solutions, said upward pressures are likely to mount on rental rates. — Mary Shanklin, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Orlando renters feel pressure as availability falls, prices rise," 24 Apr. 2018 By bending too far down, Harper created more of an upward path with the barrel of his bat. — Tom Verducci, SI.com, "Nine Innings: How Bryce Harper Is Trying to Revive His Season, What We Learned in the First Half and More," 9 July 2018 To what extent the trade tensions bleed into other aspects of the U.S.-China relationship, which has retained a mostly upward trajectory since the normalization of ties four decades ago, remains to be seen. — Washington Post, "Analysis: Trade rocks already unstable US-China relations," 7 July 2018 In the past, existing lower-league teams that joined MLS brought anywhere from four to nine players for the upward jump. — Scott Winfield, Cincinnati.com, "ICYMI: Cincinnati Reds lock up their future, FC Cincinnati has a list of to-dos before MLS," 6 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'upward.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Phrases Related to upward

onward and upward

onwards and upwards

upward spiral

Statistics for upward

Last Updated

11 Oct 2018

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Time Traveler for upward

The first known use of upward was before the 12th century

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More Definitions for upward

upward

adverb

English Language Learners Definition of upward

(Entry 1 of 2)

: from a lower place or level to a higher place or level

: toward the ceiling, sky, etc.

: toward a higher or better condition or position

upward

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of upward (Entry 2 of 2)

: moving or going from a lower place or level to a higher place or level

: moving or going toward the ceiling, sky, etc.

: changing to a larger amount or higher number

See the full definition for upward in the English Language Learners Dictionary

upward

adverb

up·ward | \ˈəp-wərd

variants: or upwards \-wərdz \

Kids Definition of upward

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : in a direction from lower to higher The balloon floated upward.

2 : toward a higher or better state

3 : toward a greater amount or a higher number or rate

4 : toward the head From the waist upwards he was like a man, but his legs were shaped like a goat's …— C. S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe