Up — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adverb adjective preposition noun verb abbreviation /ˈəp/

Meaning & Definition of Up

Up (adverb)

  1. in or into a higher position or level; especially, away from the center of the earth
  2. from beneath the ground or water to the surface
  3. from below the horizon

Up (adjective)

  1. risen above the horizon
  2. standing
  3. being out of bed

Up (preposition)

  1. —used as a function word to indicate motion to or toward or situation at a higher point of
  2. up into or in the
  3. in a direction regarded as being toward or near the upper end or part of

Up (noun)

  1. one in a high or advantageous position
  2. an upward slope
  3. a period or state of prosperity or success

Up (verb)

  1. to rise from a lying or sitting position
  2. to move upward, ascend
  3. —used with and and another verb to indicate that the action of the following verb was either surprisingly or abruptly initiated

Up (abbreviation)

  1. Upper Peninsula (of Michigan)

Up (adverb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in upward, upwardly

    similar: upward, upwardly, aloft
    opposite: below, down, downward, over, facedown, low

Up (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. being at a higher level than average

    "the level of the lake is up this spring"

    similar: elevated, escalated, heightened, high, increased, jacked (up), raised
    related: extreme, full, maximized, maximum, peaked, sky-high, utmost, inflated, over, overfilled, overflowing, overfull, overlarge, overloaded, oversize
    opposite: down, low
    near: decreased, depressed, dropped, knockdown (chiefly British), receded, under

  2. brought or having come to an end

    "okay, time is up"

    similar: complete, completed, concluded, done, down, ended, finished, over, over with, terminated, through, out of hand, out of the way
    related: accomplished, achieved, attained, compassed, realized, dead, defunct, extinct, kaput, obsolete, expired
    opposite: continuing, incomplete, ongoing, uncompleted, undone, unfinished

  3. having information especially as a result of study or experience

    "she's always up on the latest developments in fashion"

    similar: abreast, acquainted, au courant, conversant, familiar, informed, knowledgeable, up-to-date, versed, well-informed, at home, in the know
    related: alive, aware, cognizant, conscious, heedful, mindful, sensible, sentient
    opposite: ignorant, unacquainted, unfamiliar, uninformed, unknowledgeable
    near: insensible, unaware, unconscious, unmindful, blind, oblivious, unknowing, unwitting, inattentive, unheeding

Up (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to make greater in size, amount, or number

    "climbing fuel prices have forced the delivery company to up its prices"

    similar: accelerate, add (to), aggrandize, amplify, augment, boost, build up, compound, enlarge, escalate, expand, extend, hype, increase, multiply, pump up, raise, stoke, supersize, swell
    related: boom, jump, skyrocket, spike, bump (up), ratchet (up), blow up, dilate, distend, inflate, draw out, elongate, flesh (out), lengthen, prolong, protract, stretch, develop, enhance, heighten, intensify, magnify, complement, supplement, beef (up), reinforce, strengthen, maximize, accumulate, amass, collect, follow up, parlay
    opposite: abate, decrease, de-escalate, diminish, downsize, dwindle, lessen, lower, minify, reduce, subtract (from)
    near: abbreviate, abridge, curtail, shorten, compress, condense, constrict, contract, cut back, retrench

  2. to move from a lower to a higher place or position

    "upped the catboat's sail"

    similar: boost, crane, elevate, heave, heft, heighten, hike, hoist, jack (up), lift, perk (up), pick up, raise, take up, uphold, uplift, upraise
    related: ascend, mount, rise, rear, upend
    opposite: drop, lower
    near: descend, dip, fall, pitch, plunge, slip, bear, depress, press, push, sink, submerge

  3. to move or extend upward

    "the road constantly ups and downs as it makes its way over the hills"

    similar: arise, ascend, aspire, climb, lift, mount, rise, soar, thrust, uprear, uprise, upthrust, upturn
    related: surge, tower, boost, elevate, raise, upheave, uplift, upraise, balloon, blast off, take off, zoom, crest, scale, surmount, top, cant, incline, lean, list, recline, slant, slope, tilt, tip
    opposite: decline, descend, dip, drop, fall (off), plunge
    near: dive, nose-dive, plummet, sink, slide

Up (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in rise, ascent

    similar: aggrandizement, ascent, exaltation, rise, advance, headway, progress, flower, heyday, prime
    opposite: comedown, decline, dégringolade, demise, descent, down, downfall, fall, flameout, Götterdämmerung, breakdown, burnout, collapse, crash, meltdown, ruin, undoing, defeat, disappointment, reversal, setback

Related Entry: Up-country (noun)

Up-country is a different word from Up. The synonyms below are for up-country, not for up.

  1. a rural region that forms the edge of the settled or developed part of a country

    "built a cabin in the up-country"

    similar: backcountry, backland(s), backwater, backwoods, bush, frontier, hinterland, outback, outlands, (the) back of beyond
    related: boonies (slang), boondocks, country, countryside, sticks

Related Entry: Up-front (adjective)

Up-front is a different word from Up. The synonyms below are for up-front, not for up.

  1. free in expressing one's true feelings and opinions

    "some hurt feelings could have been spared if he'd been more up-front about whom he was inviting to the party"

    similar: candid, direct, forthcoming, forthright, foursquare, frank, free-spoken, freehearted, honest, open, openhearted, out-front, outspoken, plain, plainspoken, straight, straightforward, unguarded, unreserved
    related: artless, earnest, guileless, ingenuous, innocent, naive, natural, real, sincere, unaffected, undesigning, unpretending, unpretentious, outgoing, uninhibited, unrestrained, vocal, vociferous, abrupt, bluff, blunt, brusque, crusty, curt, gruff, sharp, impertinent, impolite, inconsiderate, rude, tactless, thoughtless, uncivil, undiplomatic, ungracious, unmannerly, unsubtle
    opposite: dissembling, uncandid, unforthcoming
    near: inhibited, reserved, restrained, close-mouthed, laconic, quiet, reticent, taciturn, tight-lipped, uncommunicative, ambiguous, circuitous, equivocal, evasive, diplomatic, politic, tactful, civil, considerate, courteous, polite

Related Entry: Up-to-date (adjective)

Up-to-date is a different word from Up. The synonyms below are for up-to-date, not for up.

  1. being or involving the latest methods, concepts, information, or styles

    "demanded the most up-to-date computer system available"

    similar: contemporary, current, designer, hot, mod, modern, modernistic, new, new age, new-fashioned, newfangled, present-day, red-hot, space-age, state-of-the-art, ultramodern, up-to-the-minute
    related: fashionable, happening, in, modish, nouvelle, now, stylish, last, latest, modernized, updated, futuristic, high-tech, latter-day, recent
    opposite: antiquated, archaic, dated, fusty, musty, oldfangled, old-fashioned, old-time, out-of-date, passé
    near: anachronistic, aged, age-old, ancient, antediluvian, hoary, old, venerable, bygone, former, late, olden, past, antique, historic, historical, retro, retrograde, kaput, obsolete, outmoded, outworn, unmodernized, old-world, discarded, disused, moth-eaten, forgotten, remote, ageless, dateless, timeless

  2. having information especially as a result of study or experience

    "I'm afraid that I'm not up-to-date on that issue"

    similar: abreast, acquainted, au courant, conversant, familiar, informed, knowledgeable, up, versed, well-informed, at home, in the know
    related: alive, aware, cognizant, conscious, heedful, mindful, sensible, sentient
    opposite: ignorant, unacquainted, unfamiliar, uninformed, unknowledgeable
    near: insensible, unaware, unconscious, unmindful, blind, oblivious, unknowing, unwitting, inattentive, unheeding

Related Entry: Up-to-the-minute (adjective)

Up-to-the-minute is a different word from Up. The synonyms below are for up-to-the-minute, not for up.

  1. being or involving the latest methods, concepts, information, or styles

    "the company insists on having up-to-the-minute firewall and antivirus software"

    similar: contemporary, current, designer, hot, mod, modern, modernistic, new, new age, new-fashioned, newfangled, present-day, red-hot, space-age, state-of-the-art, ultramodern, up-to-date
    related: fashionable, happening, in, modish, nouvelle, now, stylish, last, latest, modernized, updated, futuristic, high-tech, latter-day, recent
    opposite: antiquated, archaic, dated, fusty, musty, oldfangled, old-fashioned, old-time, out-of-date, passé
    near: anachronistic, aged, age-old, ancient, antediluvian, hoary, old, venerable, bygone, former, late, olden, past, antique, historic, historical, retro, retrograde, kaput, obsolete, outmoded, outworn, unmodernized, old-world, discarded, disused, moth-eaten, forgotten, remote, ageless, dateless, timeless

Related Entry: Up till (preposition)

Up till is a different word from Up. The synonyms below are for up till, not for up.

  1. up to (a particular time)

    "Up till now, the weather has been nearly perfect for our vacation."

    similar: till, until, up to, afore (chiefly dialect), ahead of, before, ere, fore (chiefly dialect), of, previous to, prior to, to
    opposite: next, next to, since, after, following

Related Entry: Up to (preposition)

Up to is a different word from Up. The synonyms below are for up to, not for up.

  1. during the period before and continuing to (a particular time)

    "She was unsure of what to do and deliberated up to the last moment about whether to accept the job offer."

    similar: till, until, up till, afore (chiefly dialect), ahead of, before, ere, fore (chiefly dialect), of, previous to, prior to, to
    opposite: next, next to, since, after, following

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Up

The most common words with a similar meaning to Up:

upward, upwardly, aloft, elevated, escalated, heightened, high, increased, jacked (up), raised, complete, completed, concluded, done, down, ended, finished, over, over with, terminated, through, abreast, acquainted, au courant, conversant, familiar, informed, knowledgeable, up-to-date, versed, well-informed, out of hand, out of the way, at home, in the know, accelerate, add (to), aggrandize, amplify, augment

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Up

Words with the opposite meaning of Up:

below, down, downward, over, facedown, low, continuing, incomplete, ongoing, uncompleted, undone, unfinished, ignorant, unacquainted, unfamiliar, uninformed, unknowledgeable, abate, decrease, de-escalate, diminish, downsize, dwindle, lessen, lower, minify, reduce, subtract (from), drop, decline

Related Words for Up

extreme, full, maximized, maximum, peaked, sky-high, utmost, inflated, overfilled, overflowing, overfull, overlarge, overloaded, oversize, accomplished, achieved, attained, compassed, realized, dead, defunct, extinct, kaput, obsolete, expired, alive, aware, cognizant, conscious, heedful

Near Antonyms of Up

decreased, depressed, dropped, knockdown, receded, under, insensible, unaware, unconscious, unmindful, blind, oblivious, unknowing, unwitting, inattentive, unheeding, abbreviate, abridge, curtail, shorten, compress, condense, constrict, contract, cut back, retrench, pitch, slip, bear, depress

Word Forms of Up

Inflections: upped, upping, ups

Origin & Etymology of Up

partly from Middle English up upward, from Old English ūp; partly from Middle English uppe on high, from Old English; both akin to Old High German ūf up and probably to Latin sub under, Greek hypo under, hyper over over

First known use: before 12th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Up

Words & Phrases Containing Up

up against, up-and-coming, up-and-down, up and down

Frequently Asked Questions about Up

What does "Up" mean?

"Up" means in or into a higher position or level; especially, away from the center of the earth. As an an adverb, an adjective, a preposition, a noun, a verb and an abbreviation, it is defined as: in or into a higher position or level; especially, away from the center of the earth. It has 8 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Up"?

Other words for "Up" include upward, upwardly, aloft, elevated, escalated, heightened, high and increased. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Up" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Up"?

There are 178 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Up". Common alternatives include upward, upwardly, aloft, elevated, escalated, heightened, high, increased, jacked (up) and raised.

What is the opposite of "Up"?

Antonyms of "Up" include below, down, downward, over, facedown, low, continuing and incomplete. Near antonyms include decreased, depressed, dropped and knockdown.

How do you use "Up" in a sentence?

Examples of "Up" in a sentence: "the level of the lake is up this spring"; "okay, time is up"; "she's always up on the latest developments in fashion".

Is "Up" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Up" can be used as an adverb, an adjective, a preposition, a noun, a verb and an abbreviation, depending on the context.

Is "Up" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A1-level word, "Up" is typical of Cambridge A1 Movers (Young Learners), TOEIC Listening & Reading 120+.

How do you pronounce "Up"?

"Up" is pronounced /ˈəp/.