Definition of uprightnext
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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective upright differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of upright are conscientious, honest, honorable, just, and scrupulous. While all these words mean "having or showing a strict regard for what is morally right," upright implies a strict adherence to moral principles.

a stern and upright minister

How are the words conscientious and scrupulous related as synonyms of upright?

Both conscientious and scrupulous imply an active moral sense governing all one's actions and painstaking efforts to follow one's conscience.

conscientious in the completion of her assignments
scrupulous in carrying out the terms of the will

When might honest be a better fit than upright?

In some situations, the words honest and upright are roughly equivalent. However, honest stresses adherence to such virtues as truthfulness, candor, or fairness.

known for being honest in business dealings

When can honorable be used instead of upright?

The synonyms honorable and upright are sometimes interchangeable, but honorable suggests a firm holding to codes of right behavior and the guidance of a high sense of honor and duty.

a difficult but honorable decision

When is just a more appropriate choice than upright?

While in some cases nearly identical to upright, just stresses conscious choice and regular practice of what is right or equitable.

workers given just compensation

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 upright The simplest type is the upright bike, where the user sits up straight and there isn’t any back support. Bestreviews, Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2025 His neck was tingling, his knees barely held him upright. George Packer, The Atlantic, 6 Nov. 2025 Plus, their large, upright mature size is a nice complement to the shorter stature of the Japanese maple. Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Nov. 2025 Originally commissioned for Queen Maria Cristina in the late 19th century, the tiara features upright diamond loops with white pearls at the center of each sinuous turn. Julia Teti, Footwear News, 5 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for upright
Recent Examples of Synonyms for upright
Adjective
  • Clarke, a junior, also was an honorable-mention All-Big Ten selection after totaling 30 tackles, eight passes defended and a fumble recovery in eight games.
    Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 6 Jan. 2026
  • Other than honorable discharges carry serious, long-term consequences, including the inability to access veteran benefits and disqualifications on becoming a police officer.
    Josh Wood, Louisville Courier Journal, 15 Dec. 2025
Adjective
  • Yet, to be honest, our dance card is already mighty full with a whole array of different kinds of gigs – from big pop shows to classic rock concerts and a number of different small club shows.
    Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 6 Jan. 2026
  • Shared finances, emotional investments or trust issues become crystal clear, prompting honest conversations and practical decision-making.
    Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • The Axisymmetric Vectoring Exhaust Nozzle (AVEN) provides thrust vectoring capability for X-BAT’s vertical takeoff and landing maneuverability.
    Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Located in its app, the Watch tab now features a feed of vertical video stories, though they are editorially curated rather than algorithmically fed, at least for now.
    Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • Other ethical considerations will arise as the watches go into production.
    Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
  • There are also social and ethical challenges that need to be addressed.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • But the collective 2,700 horsepower delivers a top speed of 36 knots, which is very respectable for a 71-foot luxury motoryacht.
    Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 7 Nov. 2025
  • Syracuse started the season a respectable 3-1, with its only loss in its first four games being its season opener against Tennessee in Atlanta.
    Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • When the episode premiered at the Berlin Film Festival, the speech got a standing ovation.
    Claire McNear, Rolling Stone, 8 Nov. 2025
  • Our standing height is not great.
    Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • Ten-inch-tall elves, called Scout Elves, arrive in children's homes ahead of Christmas with a mission to relay children's behavior back to Santa Claus for his naughty and nice list.
    Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 7 Nov. 2025
  • To those earning $50,000 a year at their regular jobs, making $5,000 in a few nights of netting was a nice bonus.
    Steve Waters, Miami Herald, 7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • The Los Angeles quartet will be the first to square their righteous politics with the day-to-day realities of making their band financially sustainable.
    Sam Sodomsky, Pitchfork, 7 Jan. 2026
  • This, in turn, reinforced Webster’s own initial claim about his fight with the MPD cop—that Rathbun had provoked the encounter by striking him in the head, then lied about it to counter Webster’s righteous assertion of self-defense, resulting in his wrongful conviction.
    Jamie Thompson, The Atlantic, 6 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Upright.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upright. Accessed 8 Jan. 2026.

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