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

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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Related Words

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

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

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

At the same time, I studied at the Upright Citizens Brigade, which had just opened an L.A. branch.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 20, 2026

I actually do have an improv show at Upright Citizens Brigade, but it’s a huge gamble to invite him to it.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 19, 2025

The Upright Project, a Finnish company that creates and analyzes data to evaluate companies’ impact on the world, looked at sponsors, assigning scores for positive and negative impacts on environment, health, jobs and other metrics.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 1, 2024

Upright, they bound into the air, as if off trampolines, ball up their bodies and rapidly rotate in high-flying arcs.

From New York Times • Jan. 24, 2024

She unfolds it to reveal a child’s careful cursive in faint pencil, practicing the same sentence over and over again: Upright and do right make all right.

From "Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline

Related Words

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