upstairs

American  

[uhp-stairz] / ˈʌpˈstɛərz /

especially British, above stairs

adverb

1. up the stairs; to or on an upper floor.

2. Informal. in the mind.

   to be a little weak upstairs.

3. to or at a higher level of authority.

   You may have to take the matter upstairs.

4. Military Slang. at or to a higher level in the air.

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adjective

1. Also upstair of, relating to, or situated on an upper floor.

   an upstairs window;

   an upstairs apartment.

noun

upstairs plural

1. (usually used with a singular verb) an upper story or stories; the part of a building or house that is above the ground floor.

   The upstairs of this house is entirely rented.

2. a higher command or level of authority.

   We can't take action till we have approval from upstairs.

idioms

1. kick upstairs, to promote (a person) to a higher position, usually having less authority, in order to be rid of them.

upstairs British  

/ ˈʌpˈstɛəz /

adverb

1. up the stairs; to or on an upper floor or level

2. informal to or into a higher rank or office

3. informal in the mind

   a little weak upstairs

4. informal to promote to a higher rank or position, esp one that carries less power

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noun

1. 1. an upper floor or level

   2. ( as modifier )

      an upstairs room

2. informal the masters and mistresses of a household collectively, esp of a large house Compare downstairs

upstairs More Idioms  

1. see kick upstairs.

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• upstairs
  plural

Etymology

Origin of upstairs

First recorded in 1590–1600; up- + stairs

Example Sentences

They have a room upstairs in case they want live-in help.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 13, 2026

The bar is busy, the lunchtime crowd is steady for a Thursday, there are bookings in the new rooms upstairs.

From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026

Kato, it turns out, had been dead for at least 30 years, his desiccated remains locked in an upstairs room while his family continued to collect his pension.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026

“To go to the source script has been very interesting, because while there are references to bedrooms and the boys being upstairs, Miller doesn’t describe a naturalistic setting,” Mantello said.

From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026

When they were done, Jeremy went upstairs to check on the dragon, who was once more snoozing among his socks.

From "Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher" by Bruce Coville