UPRIGHTLY Synonyms: 164 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

upright

adjective

ˈəp-ˌrīt

Definition of upright

as in honorable

conforming to a high standard of morality or virtue an honest and upright people

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in honest

following the accepted rules of moral conduct informing the clerk that he had just given me back too much in change was the only upright thing to do

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in vertical

rising straight up only one pillar of the ruined temple remained upright

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 One person may never feel the need to recline, while another may always be uncomfortable upright. — Ian Crouch, New Yorker, 15 July 2026 This episode, Zack wakes up and bolts upright with the bandage still on his head from getting clobbered with a sign on his birthday and can’t remember what happened the night before. — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 9 July 2026 First, the chair back reclines only one or two degrees before hard-stopping, even when locked in the fully upright position. — Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 9 July 2026 Influenced by both the violin and viol families, the double bass (also known as the upright or string bass) evolved in response to a desire for deeper, more powerful sounds. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for upright

Recent Examples of Synonyms for upright

Adjective

That simple, honorable point about the dignity of emigrating remains painfully controversial in Dean’s home country and here.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026
Someone who lost their way despite their initial, honorable intentions.

— Andy Andersen, Vulture, 10 July 2026

Definition of honorable

Adjective

That is also where the design's costs sit, and an honest account keeps them in view.

— Güney Yıldız, Forbes.com, 18 July 2026
Amodei’s assessment of the dangers may be right or wrong, but an ad that grapples with those risks is arguably more honest than previous campaigns that present Claude as a tool for tinkerers and problem solvers.

— Harry Booth, Time, 17 July 2026

Definition of honest

Adjective

British aerospace company Vertical Aerospace is set to conduct the first public electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) demonstration flights at the upcoming Farnborough International Airshow.

— Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 18 July 2026
The device sits on her palm flipped to its side, so that the video Berkett films is vertical rather than horizontal — because most people will still watch it on their smartphone.

— Alina Selyukh, NPR, 18 July 2026

Definition of vertical

Adjective

Where uncertainty exists, the appropriate response is not to suppress scientific debate, but to strengthen the evidence through rigorous ethical research.

— Torie Bosch, STAT, 18 July 2026
If one or more commissioners choose to abstain from a merger vote because of ethical concerns, what would happen next is unclear.

— ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 17 July 2026

Definition of ethical

Adjective

Fans chasing atmosphere can weigh the perks of upgrading, whether that means a club level, a standing-room social area or a section known for being the loudest in the building.

— Lauren Schuster, Kansas City Star, 14 July 2026
The fans gave it, then gave it again, this time in the form of a standing ovation after Djokovic won the tiebreak and stood at Centre Court, his arms stretched wide.

— Ava Wallace, New York Times, 7 July 2026

Definition of standing

Adjective

Ferran Torres, who hadn’t scored all tournament, getting the winner in the final from an assist by Nico Williams, who had fitness issues throughout, was a nice subplot.

— Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 20 July 2026
The sliding rear window is a nice touch and harks back to the latest Toyota 4Runner, a vehicle the R2 will be cross-shopped against.

— Greg Migliore, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026

Definition of nice

Adjective

But perhaps the performance that lingers most in our minds is that of Elliot Page, 39, who in just a few short scenes anchors the film with his guileless sincerity and righteous anger.

— Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 19 July 2026
Both lifestyles, as Tubbs saw them, were about having principles, living for something bigger than yourself, protecting the defenseless—both righteous armies marching under different flags.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 July 2026

Definition of righteous

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uprears

upright

uprightness

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“Upright.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upright. Accessed 22 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of upright

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