Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

upwards

British  
/ ˈʌpwədz /

adverb

  1. from a lower to a higher place, level, condition, etc

  2. towards a higher level, standing, etc

"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

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.

Upwards of 19% of doctors’ orders undergo insurance-company review prior to treatment, and about half of those orders are denied.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 10, 2026

Upwards of 25,000 results appear when searching "Ikea" on eBay, an online auction site that specialises in resale but also sells new items.

From BBC • Aug. 26, 2024

Upwards of 7,000 such businesses have opened since, according to an Economy Ministry list updated on March 23.

From Reuters • Apr. 4, 2023

Upwards of 20 percent of financial market volume is high frequency trading races.

From Slate • Nov. 1, 2021

Upwards it wound, coiling like a snake, boring its way across the sheer slope of rock.

From "The Return of the King" by J.R.R. Tolkien