upside

1 of 2

noun

up·​side ˈəp-ˌsīd How to pronounce upside (audio)
Synonyms of upsidenext
1
: an upward trend (as of prices)
2
a
: a positive aspect
b
: promise, potential
a young star with lots of upside

upside

2 of 2

preposition

up·​side ˈəp-ˈsīd How to pronounce upside (audio)
: up on or against the side of
layin' in this death cell, writin' my time upside the wall— Lonnie Johnson
smacked him upside the head

Examples of upside in a Sentence

Noun One upside to the new house is its location.
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.
Noun
The upside is more than a dozen freshmen and sophomores got a chance to get varsity experience. — John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Mar. 2025 Their price target of $340 a share implies about 20% upside from where shares closed Tuesday. — Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 12 Mar. 2025
Preposition
He’s always hit, with his power upside the bigger question. — Keith Law, The Athletic, 22 Dec. 2024 Bernard’s intensity, red-hot motor and likable athleticism should enable him to develop into a special teams ace under coordinator John Fassel’s tutelage. Plus, his coverage ability and adequate instincts give him upside as a defender. — John Owning, Dallas News, 1 May 2020 See All Example Sentences for upside

Word History

Etymology

Noun

up entry 2 + side entry 1

Preposition

perhaps from up entry 1 + -side (as in alongside)

First Known Use

Noun

1927, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Preposition

1929, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of upside was in 1927

Phrases Containing upside

Rhymes for upside

See All Rhymes for upside

Browse Nearby Words

upside
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Cite this Entry

“Upside.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upside. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on upside

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for upside

Nglish: Translation of upside for Spanish Speakers

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