upstate

noun

up·​state ˈəp-ˌstāt 

: the chiefly northerly sections of a state

also : the chiefly rural part of a state when the major metropolitan area is in the south

upstate

ˈəp-ˈstāt 

adverb or adjective

upstater

ˈəp-ˈstā-tər 

noun

Examples of upstate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Following the funeral, John's sister meets with Oscar and tells him that John has bequeathed his manor upstate to him. —Sam Reed, Glamour, 11 Aug. 2025

But in late summer, when the city’s Swan Queens have flown upstate or migrated overseas, the Art Deco jewel box presents a ballet festival. —Air Mail, 9 Aug. 2025

For some reason, the video doesn’t explain why the team couldn’t just go to the nice big farm upstate where the original Air Bud lives a happy life running around and cast the original actor. —Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 8 Aug. 2025

As New York State emerges as a heavyweight in the high-tech manufacturing and generative artificial intelligence fields, New York City will be in line to reap plenty of benefits from projects built upstate or on Long Island. —Linda Baran, New York Daily News, 3 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1901, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for upstate

• abate
• airfreight
• await
• baseplate
• berate
• birthdate
• birthrate
• bookplate
• borate
• breastplate
• bromate
• casemate

Kids Definition

upstate

adjective

up·​state ˈəp-ˌstāt 

: of, relating to, or typical of a part of a state away from a large city and especially to the north

upstate noun or adverb