Word
upwards
Phoneticsup·wards, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈəpwɝdz/
UK/ˈʌpwədz/
Adverb of place
Definitions
01toward a higher place
B1 · Intermediate
adv. moving or looking toward the sky or a higher position.
adv. directed toward a higher physical point or elevation.
“She looked upwards at the tall trees and the birds flying above.”
“The smoke drifted upwards through the narrow chimney, eventually dissipating into the cold mountain air.”
Antonyms
02to a higher amount
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adv. moving to a higher number, price, or level.
adv. indicating a movement toward a higher numerical value, quantity, or intensity.
“Prices have been moving upwards for several months now.”
“The company revised its growth projections upwards following a surprisingly successful fiscal quarter in the European market.”
Antonyms
03more than a certain amount
C1 · Advanced Formal
adv. used with 'of' to mean more than a specific number or amount.
adv. used in the phrase 'upwards of' to indicate a quantity exceeding a specified limit.
“It will cost upwards of five hundred dollars to fix the car.”
“The charity gala successfully raised upwards of one million pounds, far exceeding the organisers' original expectations for the evening.”
Usage
Usually appears in the fixed phrase 'upwards of' followed by a number.
04toward a higher rank
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adv. moving toward a more important or senior position in a group.
adv. directed toward a superior level in a hierarchy or social order.
“He has been working hard to move upwards in the company.”
“Social mobility allows individuals to move upwards through the class structure based on merit and education rather than birthright.”
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “upwards” in context.
Verb
01. gaze upwards
“The tourists stood in the center of the cathedral and gazed upwards at the painted ceiling.”
verb + adv
02. move upwards in the company
“She worked hard for three years, hoping to move upwards in the company and reach a management role.”
verb + adv + prep + noun
03. point upwards
“Make sure the arrow on the box is pointing upwards so the contents do not spill.”
verb + adv
04. spiral upwards
“Energy prices began to spiral upwards following the sudden disruption in the global supply chain.”
verb + adv
Noun
05. upwards trajectory of sales
“The marketing team was pleased to see the steady upwards trajectory of sales throughout the quarter.”
adj + noun + of + noun
06. upwards trend in prices
“Economists are concerned about the recent upwards trend in prices for basic consumer goods.”
adj + noun + prep + noun
Preposition
07. from ten years upwards
“The board game is designed for players from ten years upwards due to its complex rules.”
prep + noun + prep
Real-World Examples
“Iowa’s cancer rates followed national trends until 2012, when they began climbing upwards for reasons that Green said remain unclear.” “Parkrun is for everyone and anyone, from children upwards, and not only runners.” Etymology
From Middle English upwardes, from Old English upweardes, equivalent to up + -wards. Cognate with Dutch opwaarts (“upwards”), German aufwärts (“upwards”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
01. fail upwards
- 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
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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