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upsweep

American  
[uhp-sweep, uhp-sweep] / ʌpˈswip, ˈʌpˌswip /

verb (used with object)

upswept, upsweeping
  1. to sweep upward.


verb (used without object)

upswept, upsweeping
  1. to be arranged in an upsweep.

noun

  1. a sweeping upward, as an increase in elevation or a steep slope.

  2. a hairdo produced by having the hair combed or brushed upward to the top of the head; an upswept hairdo.

  3. a strongly pronounced rise in activity, as in business.

  4. a curved shape of the lower jaw of some animals.

upsweep British  

noun

  1. a curve or sweep upwards

  2. an upswept hairstyle

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. to sweep, curve, or brush or be swept, curved, or brushed upwards

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of upsweep

First recorded in 1885–90; up- + sweep 1

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.

See Examples For:

One, Meredith Monk, recalled how Ms. Slavenska would enter the studio: leggings under a fur coat and a beautiful upsweep.

From New York Times Jan. 30, 2015

Removing the chopsticks that held her dark waist-length hair in an upsweep, Ms. Lee beamed mischief.

From New York Times Apr. 21, 2010

Bars: Specialized 100% chromoly two-piece, ten degrees of backsweep, five degrees of upsweep.

From Time Magazine Archive

The Emiles reported no grey hairs on either side; achieved a soft upsweep wave over the ears that fetched applause from newshens.

From Time Magazine Archive

Her Audrey Hepburn upsweep looked recently done, as well.

From "It All Comes Down to This" by Karen English

He writes, “That upsweeping electric hair is the poet’s helmet, his rooster comb.”

From New York Times May 25, 2011

Eagerly I marked the flowing undulations of their firm, braided muscles, their strong legs, ears, eyes, heads, their graceful rounded necks, the color of their hair, and the bold, upsweeping curves of their noble horns.

From The Mountains of California by Muir, John

His regal commanding blasts, his upsweeping marching violins, his pompous and majestic orchestra, existed in the American scene.

From Musical Portraits Interpretations of Twenty Modern Composers by Rosenfeld, Paul

Far beyond, between its lofty skeleton towers and upsweeping side webs, appeared, in seemingly reduced proportions, the towers and webs of the north cantilever, across on the north edge of the channel of the strait.

From Out of the Primitive by Bennet, Robert Ames

Never mind that it was said to have been dreamed up by kids at a soda fountain that Short frequented and referred mainly to her upswept hairdo.

From The Wall Street Journal Jan. 23, 2026

It disturbs the clean flow of air teams want through the diffuser, the upswept part of the floor at the back of the car.

From BBC Jul. 22, 2025

Ryan Nelson renders upswept hair with precisely inked lines in his depiction of a woman that focuses on her bouffant.

From Washington Post Dec. 2, 2022

A black-and-white photo on display at the memorial, taken in Lima around 1950, showed an elegant young woman in a beautifully fitted jacket, gloves and upswept hat, gazing confidently at the camera.

From Seattle Times Oct. 22, 2022

Lady Constance tipped her head from one side to the other in front of her dressing-room mirror, the better to admire the elaborate chapeau that she had just placed upon her upswept curls.

From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood

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