uphill

1 of 3

adverb

up·​hill ˈəp-ˈhil 

1

: upward on a hill or incline

2

: against difficulties

seemed to be talking uphill

—Willa Cather

uphill

2 of 3

noun

up·​hill ˈəp-ˌhil 

: rising ground : ascent

uphill

3 of 3

adjective

up·​hill ˈəp-ˌhil 

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

: difficult, laborious

Synonyms

Noun

• acclivity
• ascent
• hill
• rise
• upgrade
• uprise

Adjective

• arduous
• Augean
• backbreaking
• challenging
• demanding
• difficult
• effortful
• exacting
• formidable
• grueling
• gruelling
• hard
• heavy
• hellacious
• herculean
• killer
• laborious
• moiling
• murderous
• pick-and-shovel
• rigorous
• rough
• rugged
• severe
• stiff
• strenuous
• sweaty
• tall
• testing
• toilsome
• tough

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

Adverb

Water is pumped uphill into a reservoir when power is cheap and then runs downhill through turbines when it’s needed. —Umair Irfan, Vox, 21 Apr. 2025

His favorite piece is a bronze sculpture of Sisyphus pushing his massive rock uphill. —Jabari Young, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025

Noun

To him, running a business is like riding a bike uphill. —Michael Ashley, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025

Alone, the bipartisan lawmakers face another uphill slog to pass such legislature. —Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 1 Apr. 2025

Adjective

Sanders has an uphill climb to become the team’s starting quarterback. —Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 12 May 2025

Roberts wrote the majority opinion in the three recent cases expanding the scope of religious liberty, so this is an uphill climb. —Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 5 May 2025

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

Phrases Containing uphill

• uphill battle

Rhymes for uphill

• anthill
• backfill
• bluegill
• crossbill
• distil
• distill
• downhill
• dunghill
• foothill
• fulfil
• fulfill
• goodwill

Kids Definition

uphill

1 of 2 adverb

up·​hill ˈəp-ˈhil 

1

: in an upward direction

2

: against difficulties

uphill

2 of 2 adjective

up·​hill ˌəp-ˌhil 

1

: being on high ground

2

: going up : ascending

3

: difficult sense 1

an uphill struggle