Word
upriver
Phoneticsup·riv·er, stress on the second syllable
US/ˌəˈpɹɪvɝ/
UK/ˈʌpɹɪvɐ/
Adverb of place
Definition
adv. toward the part of a river that is farther from the sea, closer to where the river starts. You use it to talk about moving against the flow of the water.
adv. toward or at a point nearer to a river's source, against the direction of flow. Often contrasts with 'downriver' to indicate relative position along a watercourse.
Examples
“They paddle upriver every morning to fish.”
“The ferry carries supplies upriver to villages that trucks cannot reach in the rainy season.”
“Industrial runoff discharged downriver rarely affects upriver communities, whose water remains clear despite development farther downstream.”
Examples
simple
“They paddle upriver every morning to fish.”
contextual
“The ferry carries supplies upriver to villages that trucks cannot reach in the rainy season.”
complex
“Industrial runoff discharged downriver rarely affects upriver communities, whose water remains clear despite development farther downstream.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “upriver” in context.
Verb
01. come from upriver
“Logs come from upriver during the rainy season.”
verb + prep + adv
02. flow from upriver
“Cold, clear water flows from upriver after the snow melts.”
verb + prep + adv
03. head upriver
“The boat headed upriver against the strong current.”
verb + adv
04. paddle upriver
“We paddled upriver for an hour before resting.”
verb + adv
05. sail upriver
“They sailed upriver to explore the narrow channels.”
verb + adv
Adjective
06. far upriver
“The old bridge is far upriver, near the mountains.”
adv + adv
07. further upriver
“They camped further upriver where the water is cleaner.”
adv + adv
08. just upriver
“Our cabin is just upriver from the main dock.”
adv + adv
09. a short way upriver
“There is a small waterfall a short way upriver from the village.”
10. further upriver from here
“The river gets much narrower further upriver from here.”
11. paddle upriver against the current
“They had to paddle upriver against the current for two hours.”
12. sail a few miles upriver
“We sailed a few miles upriver to find a quiet place to camp.”
Usage
Follows verbs of motion such as 'go', 'paddle', or 'travel'; contrasts with 'downriver'.
Etymology
From up- + river.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
PHRASAL VERB
PREPOSITION
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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