uphill 1 of 2

adjective

ˈəp-ˌhil How to pronounce uphill (audio)
Definition of uphillnext
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 How to pronounce uphill (audio)
as in hill
an upward slope no matter where you go bicycle touring, the uphills always seem to outnumber the downhills

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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
After losing to Indiana, the Dream’s chances of gaining home court advantage in the WNBA playoffs felt like an uphill climb. — Lauren Williams, AJC.com, 21 Aug. 2026 Still, Jolly has an uphill climb to the governor’s mansion in Florida. — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 19 Aug. 2026
Noun
When a bicyclist right behind me takes a spill on a slow uphill near UCSF Medical Center, my instinct is to dial 911. — Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle, 13 Mar. 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for uphill
Recent Examples of Synonyms for uphill
  1. difficult
  2. hill
  3. challenging
  4. incline
  5. tough
  6. hard
  7. rigorous
  8. demanding
Adjective
  • The losses linked to the demise of these groups are difficult to quantify, but participants and advocates say the impacts will reverberate across federal agencies for years.
    — Katia Riddle, NPR, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Ground surveys can provide more detailed information at a particular site, but covering an entire subway corridor that way would be difficult.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of difficult
Noun
  • Instead, he’s spent August anxiously watching the orange skies from his house in the northern Nevada hills through two consecutive and adjacent wild-land fires, the Bug and Hawk Fires.
    — Anya Kamenetz, Curbed, 28 Aug. 2026
  • He was filled with ambition to see more of the country, write a spy thriller and literally climb more hills.
    — Andrea Javor, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of hill
Adjective
  • For the healthcare providers in attendance, the party — which featured games and activities for the kids — is a chance to see the real-life impact of their often emotionally challenging work.
    — Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Because of the challenging terrain, the bridges are designed to be constructed without heavy machinery.
    — Fatma Tanis, NPR, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of challenging
Noun
  • The imposing gate and incline signal that privacy is one of the adults-only resort’s strongest assets, attracting high-profile guests like Katy Perry and Sir Paul McCartney.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The Pro version utilizes dual 250-W all-wheel-drive hubs to generate the torque to climb an impressive 15% hill incline.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of incline
Adjective
  • The war, and in particular Iran’s direct targeting of the Gulf, makes this approach a tough pill to swallow.
    — Dina Esfandiary, Foreign Affairs, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The conversation shifted from tougher ordinances toward resource allocation and investing in third spaces, which are places outside of work, school or home.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of tough
Adjective
  • Michael Mankins and Matthew Crupi want value maximization back as the objective, with stakeholder commitments as hard or soft constraints.
    — Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Hrgović landed one, two, three hard right hands late in the round.
    — Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of hard
Adjective
  • Every personal finance review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of home loan products.
    — Kelsey Neubauer, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • But alongside serious thinkers such as Rankine, Ta-Nehisi Coates, and Saidiya Hartman, less rigorous writers and ideas were also elevated.
    — Charles Finch, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of rigorous
Adjective
  • Leaders may not need to tax themselves heavily to gain some cognitive benefit during an already demanding period.
    — Julian Hayes II, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • That makes both the X-ray measurement itself and the interpretation of its data increasingly demanding.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of demanding

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upheld
uphill
uphills
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Cite this Entry

“Uphill.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/uphill. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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