upstate

noun

up·​state ˈəp-ˌstāt How to pronounce upstate (audio)
: 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 adverb or adjective
upstater noun

Examples of upstate in a Sentence

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.
Faced with the prospect of having to find a new home and studio spaces in New York, the couple decided that moving to a rural location upstate might be the better choice for both their lifestyle and finances. Tim McKeough, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2025 In New York, the wage floor is rising to $16.50 in NYC and Long Island, and $15.50 upstate. Emily Peck, Axios, 30 Dec. 2024 Art: Greco Deco The upscale upstate hotel has come to be a blandly, luxuriously uniform thing — interchangeable linens, light fixtures, and décor; an austere early American aesthetic with a dash of Scandinavian minimalism. Kim Velsey, Curbed, 18 Dec. 2024 Alaska, Minnesota, Maine, Idaho and upstate New York could see snow, while the Allegheny Mountains of Pennsylvania and West Virginia, as will the Rockies and Sierra Nevadas, might be blanketed. Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for upstate

Word History

First Known Use

1901, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of upstate was in 1901

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Upstate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upstate. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

upstate

adjective
up·​state ˈəp-ˌstāt How to pronounce upstate (audio)
: 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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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