variants
or upwards
1
a
: 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
3
a
: 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
1
: directed toward or situated in a higher place or level : ascending
2
: rising to a higher pitch
upwardly
adverb
upwardness
noun
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
Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024
In the housing market, excessive wealth exerts upward pressure on rents and home prices.
—Gabriela Sandoval, The Mercury News, 13 Apr. 2024
Those projections had been revised downward this winter, but are now being revised upward by $13.2 million in the mayor’s new proposal.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2024
The cut for the top 50 and ties moved upward all afternoon and finally settled at 6-over-par 150, three strokes higher than 147 a year ago.
—Bob Spear, Charlotte Observer, 12 Apr. 2024
Socha told me he’s been noticing people whose toes don’t touch the ground, and instead are slanted upward.
—Laura Lancaster, Outdoor Life, 11 Apr. 2024
Whitetail antlers, on the other hand, typically feature tines that grow straight upward from a pair of main beams.
—Scott Bestul, Field & Stream, 10 Apr. 2024
Eyes turned upward both inside and outside the path of totality, from ranches in the Texas hill country and blankets spread out in Washington on the National Mall.
—USA TODAY, 9 Apr. 2024
Sudden bursts of cheering rang out from the growing sea of viewers donning eclipse glasses and tilting cameras upward at the ready, as the partial eclipse peeked through dark clouds in fleeting intervals.
—Aliza Chasan, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2024
Paul Wiseman, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2024
Compared to layoffs, the steady drop in job openings is a painless way to cool a labor market that has been red hot, easing upward pressure on wages that can lead to higher prices.
—Paul Wiseman, Quartz, 2 Apr. 2024
This is a price chart showing a steady, unmistakable upward trend from late October 2023 to the present.
—John Navin, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024
Typical top soloists can give upward of 100 performances a year; Pollini kept it to a third that number, at most.
—Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2024
Gore remains hopeful, and encouraged by the world’s progress toward reversing the upward trend in warming temperatures that are shrinking sea ice, melting glaciers and increasingly flooding coastal communities around the globe.
—USA TODAY, 17 Mar. 2024
The underwear is made to provide upward compression in the belly area while still leaving enough room for a maxi pad.
—Maya Polton, Parents, 14 Mar. 2024
Some think that means there’s more of a risk that inflation could stall, or even reignite, as robust spending maintains upward pressure on prices.
—Bryan Mena, CNN, 6 Mar. 2024
Antelopes coach Bryce Drew spoke that night about its importance in the program’s upward trajectory.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Mar. 2024
Adverb
The propellers began to spin with the sound of leaf blowers, the craft reared back, and I was wrenched upward, pinned to my seat, heart hammering.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024
In the housing market, excessive wealth exerts upward pressure on rents and home prices.
—Gabriela Sandoval, The Mercury News, 13 Apr. 2024
Those projections had been revised downward this winter, but are now being revised upward by $13.2 million in the mayor’s new proposal.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2024
The cut for the top 50 and ties moved upward all afternoon and finally settled at 6-over-par 150, three strokes higher than 147 a year ago.
—Bob Spear, Charlotte Observer, 12 Apr. 2024
Socha told me he’s been noticing people whose toes don’t touch the ground, and instead are slanted upward.
—Laura Lancaster, Outdoor Life, 11 Apr. 2024
Whitetail antlers, on the other hand, typically feature tines that grow straight upward from a pair of main beams.
—Scott Bestul, Field & Stream, 10 Apr. 2024
Eyes turned upward both inside and outside the path of totality, from ranches in the Texas hill country and blankets spread out in Washington on the National Mall.
—USA TODAY, 9 Apr. 2024
Sudden bursts of cheering rang out from the growing sea of viewers donning eclipse glasses and tilting cameras upward at the ready, as the partial eclipse peeked through dark clouds in fleeting intervals.
—Aliza Chasan, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2024
Adjective
In addition, an influx of immigrants into the job market is believed to have addressed labor shortages and slowed upward pressure on wage growth.
—Paul Wiseman, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2024
Compared to layoffs, the steady drop in job openings is a painless way to cool a labor market that has been red hot, easing upward pressure on wages that can lead to higher prices.
—Paul Wiseman, Quartz, 2 Apr. 2024
This is a price chart showing a steady, unmistakable upward trend from late October 2023 to the present.
—John Navin, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024
Typical top soloists can give upward of 100 performances a year; Pollini kept it to a third that number, at most.
—Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2024
Gore remains hopeful, and encouraged by the world’s progress toward reversing the upward trend in warming temperatures that are shrinking sea ice, melting glaciers and increasingly flooding coastal communities around the globe.
—USA TODAY, 17 Mar. 2024
The underwear is made to provide upward compression in the belly area while still leaving enough room for a maxi pad.
—Maya Polton, Parents, 14 Mar. 2024
Some think that means there’s more of a risk that inflation could stall, or even reignite, as robust spending maintains upward pressure on prices.
—Bryan Mena, CNN, 6 Mar. 2024
Antelopes coach Bryce Drew spoke that night about its importance in the program’s upward trajectory.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'upward.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near upward
Cite this Entry
“Upward.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upward. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
upward
2 of 2 adjective
: directed toward or located in a higher place or level : ascending
upwardly
adverb
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