upswing
Americannoun
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economics a recovery period in the trade cycle
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an upward swing or movement or any increase or improvement
verb
Usage
What does on the upswing mean? The expression on the upswing refers to something in the process of improving or increasing. It’s often used in the context of economics. How is on the upswing pronounced?[ on thuh uhp-swing ]What are some other words related to on the upswing?
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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upswingsimple
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upswingssimple
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have upswungperfect
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has upswungperfect
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am upswingingprogressive
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are upswingingprogressive
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is upswingingprogressive
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have been upswingingperfect progressive
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has been upswingingperfect progressive
Past
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upswungsimple
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had upswungperfect
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was upswingingprogressive
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were upswingingprogressive
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had been upswingingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of upswing
Explanation
An upswing is a period of improvement or growth, like the upswing in a town's population that results in an upswing in its economy. An upswing is also a literal upward swing of the arms, the way you move a jump rope or golf club. The golf meaning dates from 1922. The first figurative use of upswing in 1934, during the Great Depression, described economic improvements that were on the horizon. If you've ever had a period of bad luck, you know how it feels when life seems to finally be on the upswing, becoming a little bit better every day.
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:
The sizable pullback in hiring—not just in July, but in downwardly revised May and June numbers—marked a shift for a labor market that appeared on the upswing earlier this year.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
Meanwhile, the number of voters who officially affiliate as dues-paying members of the DSA is also on the upswing, nearly doubling since Mamdani began his viral mayoral campaign in 2025.
From Salon ● Jul. 8, 2026
Memory stocks are back on the upswing, and Morgan Stanley analysts say their recent breather was necessary to support more explosive gains.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 11, 2026
But the current upswing looks a lot different than previous tech runs, and a new stock market trend is emerging in 2026: AI is broadening gains within the sector itself.
From Barron's ● Jun. 8, 2026
So Father saw this pageant as a splectacular mark of things being on the upswing.
From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver
Anyone who is sold on oil stocks should consider the most volatile ones—those that have had larger upswings when crude gained and vice versa.
From Barron's ● Jun. 24, 2026
That’s one side the market is focusing on, “giving rise to the types of upswings that we’ve seen.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 19, 2026
This gives FTX the benefit of any market upswings.
From New York Times ● Feb. 3, 2024
Though there have been some small upswings, Bitcoin hasn’t recovered, and the asset’s correlation with the U.S. dollar has reportedly gone negative.
From Slate ● Dec. 15, 2022
During his upswings, everyone wanted to be in his presence, but during his downswings, he was known to cast a cold shadow.
From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi
In the white glare the girl saw Winthrope, crouched beneath her upswung door; and his face was as the face of a beast.
From Into the Primitive by Robert Ames Bennett
All that your courage has brightened, All that your pity protected, Now it is grown; Over your shoulders upswinging, Folds round your frame, Bringing in roses your name, Joyous the sprite of your poetry bringing.
From Poems and Songs by Arthur Hubbell Palmer
Kille, kille, lambkin mine, Though it often be hard to climb Over the rocks upswinging, Follow thy bell's sweet ringing!
From Poems and Songs by Arthur Hubbell Palmer
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.
