Dictionary

upwards en · ADV

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈʌpwədz/ (UK)
• /ˈʌpwɚdz/ (US)

Etymology

From Middle English upwardes, from Old English upweardes, equivalent to up + -wards. Cognate with Dutch opwaarts (“upwards”), German aufwärts (“upwards”).

Meanings

1. (not-comparable) Towards a (higher) position closer to the sky than the ground.
   • The underframe also carries four bonded-rubber mountings, focused upwards and inwards towards the centre of gravity to suspend the body shell. 1958 April 14, “Diesel Railbus for British Railways”, in Railway Magazine, page 275:
   • soar upwards
   • The balloon drifted upwards into the sky.
   • look upwards
   • push upwards
2. (not-comparable) To a higher figure or amount.
   • Prices are moving steadily upwards.
3. (not-comparable) Towards something which is higher in order, larger, superior etc.
4. (not-comparable) Backwards in time, into the past.
5. (not-comparable) To or into later life.

Antonyms

down · downward

Deriveds

upward of · onwards and upwards · bottom-upwards · fail upwards · upwards of · punch upwards

Synonyms

upward · up

Translations (61)

fo niðaneftir (to a higher position) · sl gôr (to a higher position) · es hacia arriba (to a higher position) · la sūrsum (to a higher position) · ka მაღლა (to a higher position) · fi ylemmäksi (to a higher position) · be ўверх (to a higher position) · de nach oben (to a higher position) · gsw obsi (to a higher position) · fi ylöspäin (to a higher position) · ga suas (to a higher position) · ga aníos (to a higher position) · nl hoger (to something superior) · sl navzgor (to a higher position) · fo uppeftir (to a higher position) · nl opwaarts (to a higher position) · de herauf (to a higher position) · rm sen (to a higher position) · de hinauf (to a higher position) · fi ylemmäs (to a higher position) · fi taemmaksi (to the past) · ru ввысь (to a higher position) · fi taemmas (to the past) · es arriba (to a higher position) · fi ylös (to a higher position) · pt para cima (to a higher amount) · rm se (to a higher position) · sv uppför (to a higher position) · be наве́рсе (to a higher position) · ro în sus (to a higher position) · de hoch (to a higher position) · fi myöhemmäs (to later life) · ru вы́ше (to a higher amount) · fi myöhemmäksi (to later life) · fi korkeammaksi (to a higher amount) · ota یوقاری (to a higher position) · ro la deal (to a higher position) · be ўве́рсе (to a higher position) · de aufwärts (to a higher position) · gd a-nìos (to a higher position) · got 𐌹𐌿𐍀 (to a higher position) · rm si (to a higher position) · be наве́рх (to a higher position) · ka ზემოთ (to a higher position) · fi ylös (to a higher amount) · et üles (to a higher position) · ka ზევით (to a higher position) · fi ylöspäin (to something superior) · pt para cima (to a higher position) · be уве́рсе (to a higher position) · pl wzwyż (to a higher position) · az yuxarı (to a higher position) · rm sü (to a higher position) · grc ἄνω (to a higher position) · be уве́рх (to a higher position) · fi ylöspäin (to a higher amount) · uk вверх (to a higher position) · fr en haut (to a higher position) · sv uppåt (to a higher position) · pl w górę (to a higher position) · ru вверх (to a higher position)