upstate

American  

[uhp-steyt] / ˈʌpˈsteɪt /

noun

1. the part of a state that is farther north or farther from the chief city, especially the northerly part of New York State.

---

adjective

1. of or coming from such an area.

2. located in or characteristic of this part.

adverb

1. in, to, or into the upstate area.

upstate British  

/ ˈʌpˈsteɪt /

adjective

1. towards, in, from, or relating to the outlying or northern sections of a state, esp of New York State

---

noun

1. the outlying, esp northern, sections of a state

Other Word Forms

• upstater
  noun

Etymology

Origin of upstate

An Americanism dating back to 1900–05; up- + state

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

upstate

As late summer melted into a vibrant fall and then into the cold of upstate winter, I knew my answer: No.

From Slate ● Jul. 6, 2026

Micron’s new memory-chip supply deals are also a way for the company to de-risk its investment into additional capacity, including its $100 billion semiconductor fabrication plant in upstate New York.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 3, 2026

The New Yorker spent three years at Keuka College, a private school upstate, before changing plans.

From Barron's ● Jul. 2, 2026

The day after we bought the car for roughly $6,300 all-in, we drove upstate with my American Eskimo-Shih Tzu mix to go on a hike at some park.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 13, 2026

From Rikers Island, my uncle is sent to a prison upstate we can visit.

From "Brown Girl Dreaming" by Jacqueline Woodson