UPHILL Synonyms: 136 Similar and Opposite Words

uphill 1 of 2

adjective

ˈəp-ˌhil

Definition of uphill

as in difficult

requiring considerable physical or mental effort an uphill battle to eradicate poverty in an area of the state that has never known anything else

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

uphill

2 of 2

noun

ˈəp-ˌhil

as in hill

an upward slope no matter where you go bicycle touring, the uphills always seem to outnumber the downhills

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of uphill

Adjective

The former Fox News host, who faces an uphill campaign against Democrat Xavier Becerra in a deep blue state, argues the change would jeopardize service used by rural Californians. — Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 7 July 2026 On the ground floor are a golf simulator and a putting green that can be adjusted for uphill, downhill, and off-camber putts. — Tori Latham, Robb Report, 7 July 2026

Noun

This also means that the jacket is lightweight enough to stash on the uphill and warm enough to offer protection on the ski down. — Outside, 28 Feb. 2026 The Chiefs’ run over the last decade was akin to moving a boulder uphill. — Sam McDowell 5, Kansas City Star, 5 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for uphill

Recent Examples of Synonyms for uphill

Adjective

Unlike dogs, they cannot simply be taken on longer walks, often resist dietary changes, and can be difficult to medicate consistently, making GLP-1 therapies potentially attractive if clinical trials prove successful.

— Elsa Ohlen,Carolin Roth, CNBC, 18 July 2026
Their stories recount the devastation to homes and businesses, life in temporary shelters, and the difficult process of rebuilding or relocating.

— Michelle Oliva-Espinosa, Kansas City Star, 18 July 2026

Definition of difficult

Noun

Rescue workers, including members of the Big Bear Fire Department, descended a hill below the support structure and found the victim.

— Seamus Bozeman Follow, Los Angeles Times, 17 July 2026
But after six laps of the famed Circuit de la Sarthe, Kimberly crested the hill just after the Arnage corner and hit a sudden downpour.

— Howard Walker, Robb Report, 17 July 2026

Definition of hill

Adjective

The method also relies on multiple Bell tests and assumptions about independent quantum sources, which could make large-scale implementation challenging.

— Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 18 July 2026
His 15-point first half Thursday included two threes, a high-degree-of-difficulty turnaround jumper and another challenging jumper.

— Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 17 July 2026

Definition of challenging

Noun

Level The Soil Mulch is likely to flow downhill if a flower bed is on an incline.

— Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 10 July 2026
The riverfront includes steep inclines, large rocks and uneven ground that can be difficult for workers or machinery to manage safely.

— Sophia Buonpane, Kansas City Star, 29 June 2026

Definition of incline

Adjective

White, when give the chance, has displayed a diverse offensive game, a defensive bent and an ability to make tough shots.

— Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 17 July 2026
The stakes for new avatar don’t feel quite as high—the specific circumstances around the former was a perfect storm that'll be tough to duplicate—but the music isn’t any less potent for it.

— Lawrence Burney, Pitchfork, 16 July 2026

Definition of tough

Adjective

Essentially a rock has met a hard place – at the mouth of the Persian Gulf.

— Tim Lister, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
Remember, all this hard work to discover all these things has been done in the midst of designing a ballroom, cleaning up the reflecting pool and a host of other busy things the president and his administration have been doing.

— Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 July 2026

Definition of hard

Adjective

For more than two decades, the duo hauled in more than 4 pounds of clams each morning from the lagoon in the Po River Delta — upending the notion that women were unsuited for such a rigorous job.

— Kasha Patel, CNN Money, 18 July 2026
Over the summer, kids might not have had to stick to a rigorous morning routine, but that all changes during the school year.

— Parents, Parents, 17 July 2026

Definition of rigorous

Adjective

Those efforts produced significant performance and efficiency gains for several of the laboratory’s most demanding applications.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 17 July 2026
Yzerman was known as a demanding, intimidating general manager who could grind players in negotiations.

— Max Bultman, New York Times, 17 July 2026

Definition of demanding

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upheld

uphill

uphills

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“Uphill.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/uphill. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of uphill

adjective

noun

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