upright

1 of 3

adjective

up·​right ˈəp-ˌrīt 

1

a

: perpendicular, vertical

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

: upright piano

Synonyms

Adjective

• all right
• decent
• ethical
• good
• honest
• honorable
• just
• moral
• nice
• right
• right-minded
• righteous
• straight
• true
• virtuous

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

Adjective

Dyson Ball Animal Total Clean Upright Vacuum Take $200 off this powerful upright vacuum that’s designed to suck up pet hair with ease and tackle large spaces. —Maggie Horton, People.com, 25 Mar. 2025

Native to part of the southeastern U.S., there are multiple cultivars that have similar shapes to both rounded and upright varieties of boxwoods. —Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 21 Mar. 2025

Adverb

Hoisting it in and out of overhead bins and taxi trunks was no sweat thanks to the convenient top and side handles, as well as the luggage feet that kept it propped upright. —Jasmine Grant, Travel + Leisure, 7 Mar. 2025

The audience could barely wait for her voice to close the final note before launching upright to rightfully heap praise on an already classic Oscars performance. —Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 3 Mar. 2025

Noun

Hoover vacuums can be as light as 5 pounds or less (in the case of handhelds) or as heavy as 20 pounds in the case of uprights. Filtration Hoover vacuums typically use one or two filters to keep allergens trapped inside rather than sent back into the air. —Bestreviews, The Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2025

His 79th-minute header from Andy Robertson’s free kick beat goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma but cannoned off the upright and across the face of the goal with no Liverpool player able to follow up, and the Premier League leaders ended up losing the last-16 tie in a penalty shootout. —Andy Jones, The Athletic, 13 Mar. 2025

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

Phrases Containing upright

• sit bolt upright
• upright piano

Rhymes for upright

• affright
• airtight
• albite
• alight
• alright
• aplite
• aright
• bainite
• birthright
• bobwhite
• bornite
• bullfight

Kids Definition

upright

1 of 2 adjective

up·​right ˈəp-ˌrīt 

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