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.

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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

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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

It was the awe-inspiring power of the first one they saw, near their home in upstate New York in 2023, that convinced them to travel for this one.

From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2026

The summer I turned 39, my husband and I moved from Brooklyn to a darling little village in upstate New York.

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

Akeley hailed from a prominent and adventurous family in upstate New York: his brother was the noted explorer and conservationist Carl Akeley.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik