upwards

B2 Topic:Describing Qualities

Also spelled up’ards

US /ˈʌpwɚdz/ UK /ˈʌpwədz/ See IPA manual

Freq #13822

Meanings

1

adv
Towards a higher position.

She looked upwards at the tall tower.
2

adv
To a higher amount or figure.

Prices are moving steadily upwards.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adv · towards a higher position. up upwardupwardly

Opposites

down downward

Word family

Derived forms bottom-upwards

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

soar upwards
to rise rapidly to a higher position

Verb + adverb

Proverbs (1)

See all

Sparks fly upwards

Etymology

From Middle English upwardes, from Old English upweardes, equivalent to up + -wards. Cognate with Dutch opwaarts (“upwards”), German aufwärts (“upwards”).

upwardes Middle English upweardes Old English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# upwards

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** adv
**IPA (US):** /ˈʌpwɚdz/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈʌpwədz/
**Frequency rank:** 13822

## Meanings
1. Towards a higher position.
2. To a higher amount or figure.

## Examples
- She looked upwards at the tall tower.
- Prices are moving steadily upwards.

## Synonyms
- up
- upward

## Antonyms
- down
- downward

## Derived Forms
- bottom-upwards

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: upwardes
- Root: upweardes

## Etymology
From Middle English upwardes, from Old English upweardes, equivalent to up + -wards. Cognate with Dutch opwaarts (“upwards”), German aufwärts (“upwards”).

## AI Etymology
Upwards comes from Middle English upwardes, from Old English upweardes, equivalent to up + -wards. Cognate with Dutch opwaarts (“upwards”), German aufwärts (“upwards”). The historical chain includes upwardes (Middle English) and upweardes (Old English). The surrounding word family includes derived forms such as bottom-upwards. In present use it covers towards a higher position and to a higher amount or figure.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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