upright

1 of 3

adjective

up·​right ˈəp-ˌrīt How to pronounce upright (audio)
1
b
: erect in carriage or posture
c
: having the main axis or a main part perpendicular
upright freezer
2
: marked by strong moral rectitude
an upright citizen
uprightly adverb
uprightness noun

upright

2 of 3

adverb

: vertically upward : in an upright position

upright

3 of 3

noun

1
: the state of being upright : perpendicular
a pillar out of upright
2
: something that stands upright
especially : a football goalpost
usually used in plural
3
Choose the Right Synonym for upright

upright, honest, just, conscientious, scrupulous, honorable 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

honest stresses adherence to such virtues as truthfulness, candor, or fairness.

known for being honest in business dealings

just stresses conscious choice and regular practice of what is right or equitable.

workers given just compensation

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

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

Examples of upright in a Sentence

Adjective Put your seat back in the upright position. The container should be kept upright to prevent leaks. Noun The uprights of the structure were embedded in concrete.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Adjective
For example, standing on one leg or walking on an uneven surface both rely on your core to keep you upright and stable. Movement in all directions: While stability is crucial, your core also needs to be mobile. Dana Santas, CNN, 12 Jan. 2025 Its lower component is bent over at a right angle to form a seat; leaning above it from behind, an upright component serves as a back. Nancy Princenthal, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2025
Adverb
To avoid disrupting any transplant areas — and because of the aforementioned swelling — doctors advise sleeping upright for around one week after surgery. Alex Abad-Santos, Vox, 18 Dec. 2024 Bipedalism is the ability to walk upright on two legs, a defining trait of hominins that distinguishes them from other primates. Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2024
Noun
Keep your torso upright—don't lean over your bent leg. Laura Campedelli, Verywell Health, 10 Jan. 2025 On the other, what’s worked out at the piano, one’s cigarette scoring a groove in the lid of the upright. E.l. Doctorow, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for upright 

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adverb

12th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1683, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of upright was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near upright

Cite this Entry

“Upright.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upright. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

upright

1 of 2 adjective
up·​right ˈəp-ˌrīt How to pronounce upright (audio)
1
a
: vertical entry 1 sense 2
an upright posture
b
: having the main axis or a main part perpendicular
2
: living by high moral standards : honorable
uprightness noun

upright

2 of 2 noun
1
: an upright or vertical position
2
: something upright

More from Merriam-Webster on upright

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