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.
Yousef Ali, 21, a cashier and manager at Flavor Taste at Seventh Ave. and 56th St., said his father has a panic button at his store upstate. John Annese, New York Daily News, 4 May 2025 The audience—both the fictional one upstate and the real one in Manhattan—soon slips into a world where human-scale beach balls and painter’s buckets become a playground for physical investigation, where the tragicomedy of real life slips in through the cracks. Laura Regensdorf, Vogue, 25 Apr. 2025 The listing is pushing, somewhat aggressively, for in-ground pool installation and converting the smaller structure into a pool house, but, hey, follow your heart’s upstate calling. Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 16 Apr. 2025 For over a week, firefighters have been battling wildfires in Western North Carolina and upstate South Carolina. Jeff A. Chamer, Charlotte Observer, 31 Mar. 2025 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 13 May. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!