above

[ uh-buhv ]

/ əˈbʌv /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for above on Thesaurus.com

adverb

in, at, or to a higher place.

overhead, upstairs, or in the sky: My brother lives in the apartment above. A flock of birds circled above.

higher in rank, authority, or power: She was told to speak to the person above.

higher in quantity or number: books with 100 pages and above.

before or earlier, especially in a book or other piece of writing; foregoing: the remark quoted above.Compare below (def. 6).

in or to heaven: gone to her eternal rest above.

Zoology. on the upper or dorsal side.

Theater. upstage.Compare below (def. 9).

higher than zero on the temperature scale: The temperature dropped to ten above this morning.

preposition

in or to a higher place than; over: to fly above the clouds; the floor above ours.

more in quantity or number than; in excess of: all girls above 12 years of age; The weight is above a ton.

superior in rank, authority, or standing to: A captain is above a lieutenant.

not subject or liable to; not capable of (some undesirable action, thought, etc.): above suspicion; to be above bad behavior.

of too fine a character for: He is above such trickery.

rather than; in preference to: to favor one child above the other.

beyond, especially north of: six miles above Baltimore.

Theater. upstage of.

adjective

said, mentioned, or written above; foregoing: the above explanation.

noun

something that was said, mentioned, or written above: to refer to the above.

the person or persons previously indicated: The above will all stand trial.

heaven: truly a gift from above.

a higher authority: an order from above.

QUIZ

WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?

Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!

Question 1 of 7

Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.

who

whom

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about above

above all, most important of all; principally: charity above all.

Origin of above

before 900; Middle English above(n) (Cf. aboon), Old English abufan, onbufan (a-¹, on + bufan above (cognate with Dutch boven), equivalent to b(e) by + ufan, cognate with Old Frisian uva,Old Saxon oban(a), Old High German obana,German oben,Old Norse ofan above; akin to over); see up; cf. about for formation

usage note for above

Above as an adjective ( the above data ) or as a noun ( study the above ) referring to what has been mentioned earlier in a piece of writing has long been standard. A few critics object to these uses in general writing, believing that they are more appropriate in business or technical contexts; they occur, however, in all kinds of edited writing.

Words nearby above

about face, about ship, about time, about to, about turn, above, above all, above and beyond, aboveboard, aboveground, abovementioned

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use above in a sentence

Hovering above the scene, commandos in helicopters were poised with automatic rifles.
France Kills Charlie Hebdo Murderers|Nico Hines|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Even the hot Jewish women I mentioned above did something a bit more “intellectual” than pageantry: acting.
Why Was Bess Myerson the First and Last Jewish Miss America?|Emily Shire|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Are you excited, nervous, afraid, all of the above for the new Star Wars films?
Patton Oswalt on Fighting Conservatives With Satire|William O’Connor|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
I fall back into a dream and then suddenly there is a tapping on the window just above my bed.
The Story Behind Lee Marvin’s Liberty Valance Smile|Robert Ward|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST

He was born in an apartment above the grocery store owned by his immigrant parents in South Jamaica, Queens.
Mario Cuomo, a Frustrating Hero to Democrats, Is Dead at 82|Eleanor Clift|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
It contains above eighty thousand houses, and about six hundred thousand inhabitants.
Gulliver's Travels|Jonathan Swift
He didn't need to wait—as the birds did—until an angleworm stuck his head above ground.
The Tale of Grandfather Mole|Arthur Scott Bailey
It is then we make him our friend, which sets us above the envy and contempt of wicked men.
The Life and Most Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, of York, Mariner (1801)|Daniel Defoe
We had now approached closely to the foot of the mountain-ranges, and their lofty summits were high above us in mid-air.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 60, No. 372, October 1846|Various
Above all, he was amazed to hear me talk of a mercenary standing army in the midst of peace and among a free people.
Gulliver's Travels|Jonathan Swift

British Dictionary definitions for above

above

/ (əˈbʌv) /

preposition

on top of or higher than; overthe sky above the earth

greater than in quantity or degreeabove average in weight

superior to or prior toto place honour above wealth

too honourable or high-minded forabove petty gossiping

too respected for; beyondabove suspicion; above reproach

too difficult to be understood bythe talk was above me

louder or higher than (other noise)I heard her call above the radio

in preference toI love you above all others

north ofwhich town lies just above London?

upstream from

above all most of all; especially

above and beyond in addition to

above oneself presumptuous or conceited

adverb

in or to a higher placethe sky above

in a previous place (in something written)
(in combination)the above-mentioned clause

higher in rank or position

in or concerned with heavenseek the things that are above

noun

the above something that is above or previously mentioned

adjective

mentioned or appearing in a previous place (in something written)

Word Origin for above

Old English abufan, from a- on + bufan above

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with above

above

In addition to the idioms beginning with above

above all
above and beyond
above suspicion
above the law

also see:

all (none) of the above
cut above
head and shoulders above
over and above

above

Idioms about above

Origin of above

usage note for above

Words nearby above

Words related to above

How to use above in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for above

Word Origin for above

Other Idioms and Phrases with above