uphill

1 of 3

adverb

up·​hill ˈəp-ˈhil How to pronounce uphill (audio)
1
: upward on a hill or incline
2
: against difficulties
seemed to be talking uphillWilla Cather

uphill

2 of 3

noun

up·​hill ˈəp-ˌhil How to pronounce uphill (audio)
: rising ground : ascent

uphill

3 of 3

adjective

up·​hill ˈəp-ˌhil How to pronounce uphill (audio)
1
: situated on elevated ground
2
a
: going up : ascending
b
: being the higher one or part especially of a set
specifically : being nearer the top of an incline
3

Examples of uphill in a Sentence

Adverb It is easier to ride a bicycle downhill than uphill. Noun no matter where you go bicycle touring, the uphills always seem to outnumber the downhills Adjective It has been an uphill battle for her to get an education. an uphill battle to eradicate poverty in an area of the state that has never known anything else
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.
Adverb
Granted, air resistance is a negligible factor when cycling uphill, which is why experienced bicyclists will try to double their power output/speed during climbs. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 25 Sep. 2024 To someone treating nonrenewable resource economics as having the scientific validity of physics, this would as if water flowed uphill. Michael Lynch, Forbes, 18 Oct. 2024
Noun
On the uphill, the 4-Quattro Pro also saw improvements over its predecessor, the 4-Quattro XT. Outside Editors, Outside Online, 11 Nov. 2024 But their grueling three-hour journey of uphill bushwhacking in the rain ended in disappointment. Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 Oct. 2024
Adjective
Moore still faces an uphill climb to get nominated for this extremely un-Oscar-y film, but Mubi has succeeded at making The Substance into a cultural event — a necessary task if this train is to go all the way. Nate Jones, Vulture, 26 Oct. 2024 The recovery will take months; at 40 years old, the uphill climb will be significant for dos Anjos. Brian Mazique, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for uphill 

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

1535, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1548, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1613, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of uphill was in 1535

Dictionary Entries Near uphill

Cite this Entry

“Uphill.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/uphill. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

uphill

1 of 2 adverb
up·​hill ˈəp-ˈhil How to pronounce uphill (audio)
1
: in an upward direction
2
: against difficulties

uphill

2 of 2 adjective
up·​hill ˌəp-ˌhil How to pronounce uphill (audio)
1
: being on high ground
2
: going up : ascending
3
: difficult sense 1
an uphill struggle

More from Merriam-Webster on uphill

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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