upright

American  

[uhp-rahyt, uhp-rahyt] / ˈʌpˌraɪt, ʌpˈraɪt /

adjective

1. erect or vertical, as in position or posture.

   Synonyms:

   vertical, perpendicular, plumb

   Antonyms:

   horizontal, recumbent

2. raised or directed vertically or upward.

3. adhering to rectitude; righteous, honest, or just.

   an upright person.

   Synonyms:

   honorable

4. being in accord with what is right.

   upright dealings.

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noun

• uprights
  plural

1. the state of being upright or vertical.

2. something standing erect or vertical, as a piece of timber.

   Synonyms:

   column, pile, pillar, prop, pole

3. an upright piano.

4. Chiefly Football. Usually uprights. the goalposts.

adverb

1. in an upright position or direction; vertically.

verb (used with object)

1. to make upright.

upright British  

/ ˈʌpˌraɪt /

adjective

1. vertical or erect

2. honest, honourable, or just

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adverb

1. vertically

noun

1. a vertical support, such as a stake or post

2. short for upright piano

3. the state of being vertical

verb

1. (tr) to make upright

upright Idioms  

1. see bolt upright.

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Synonym Usage

Upright, erect, vertical, perpendicular imply that something is in the posture of being straight upward, not leaning. That which is upright is in a position corresponding to that of a person standing up: a decaying tree no longer standing upright; an upright piano. Erect emphasizes the straightness of position or posture: proud and erect; A flagpole stands erect. Vertical suggests upward direction, especially along the shortest line from the earth to a level above it: the vertical edge of a door; ornamented by vertical lines. Perpendicular, a term frequently interchangeable with vertical, is used especially in mathematics: the perpendicular side of a right triangle; to erect a perpendicular line from the base of a figure.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonuprightness
  noun
• uprightness
  noun
• nonupright
  adjective
• nonuprightly
  adverb
• uprightly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• uprights
  plural

Etymology

Origin of upright

First recorded before 900; Middle English, Old English upriht (cognate with German aufrecht ); see up, right

Explanation

Something that's upright stands straight up. When you sit upright, your back is straight and vertical. Even your grandmother would approve of your posture. Most cars have seats that can fold forward or lean back, and then snap upright, back into a normal sitting position; and when you're in class, you're usually expected to sit upright, facing your teacher at the front of the room. Another way to use upright is to mean "upstanding" or "trustworthy," so if your friend finds a wallet full of money and returns it to its owner, you can call her an upright citizen.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

upright uprights

Cardinals kicker Chad Ryland had four field goals and might have had five had his 54-yard attempt in the first half not doinked off the right upright.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026

Some coral species with fast-growing branches are planted onto "coral trees" that look like old television antennas and are suspended in the water column, with floats to keep them upright.

From Barron's ● Sep. 10, 2026

Then maybe my foot would not have lost purchase in the gravel, and the Rally—now lying like a poleaxed giraffe—would have remained upright.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 29, 2026

The youngster somehow stayed upright but his legs had gone.

From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026

The poor sap waved both away and pulled himself upright, walking away from the group with a strong nothing to see here vibe.

From "Boy 2.0" by Tracey Baptiste

Inside this cathedral of futebol, Loop’s effort sailed through the uprights for a 34-31 Ravens victory and immediately wrote the Maracanã into NFL history.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026

The kick duly sailed through the uprights, putting the Seahawks up 18-16—and spoiling Rivers’s return after nearly five years in retirement.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 15, 2025

Jefferson darted to his teammates on the field as the ball missed the uprights.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 2, 2024

No mistake from the out-half, splits the uprights.

From BBC ● Apr. 6, 2024

Bolting recklessly from side to side down the road, the blinkered animal failed to see the twin stone gateposts on its right—skidding crazily, the cart smashed into the uprights.

From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques

Related Words

• conscientious
• ethical
• impartial
• noble
• principled
• pure
• righteous
• straightforward
• trustworthy
• upstanding
• virtuous