upstream
Americanadverb
adjective
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directed upstream; situated upstream.
an upstream journey; an upstream hideout.
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Commerce. of or relating to the early stages in the operations of a business or industry, as exploration and production in the oil business (opposed to downstream).
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against or opposite to the direction of transcription, translation, or synthesis of a DNA, RNA, or protein molecule.
adverb
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in or towards the higher part of a stream; against the current
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(in the oil industry) of or for any of the stages prior to oil production, such as exploration or research Compare downstream
Etymology
Origin of upstream
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“Qatar accounts for a third of global production of helium, an upstream input of the AI supply chain that is also almost entirely shipped through Gulf terminals,” Allianz Research says.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026
"That's critical for identifying the upstream regulators that drive these disease states."
From Science Daily • May 21, 2026
When Chinook salmon swim upstream from the ocean to spawn in rivers and creeks, they need cold water for their eggs to survive.
From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2026
Chevron forecasts 7% to 10% compound annual growth in its upstream portfolio and achieved record crude throughput in refining.
From Barron's • May 19, 2026
“Yes, all right,” said Hazel good-naturedly, as he began to limp along the bank upstream.
From "Watership Down: A Novel" by Richard Adams
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
