SKIP TO CONTENT

upright

/ˌəpˈraɪt/

/ˈəpraɪt/

Other forms: uprights

Something that's upright stands straight up. When you sit upright, your back is straight and vertical. Even your grandmother would approve of your posture.

Most cars have seats that can fold forward or lean back, and then snap upright, back into a normal sitting position; and when you're in class, you're usually expected to sit upright, facing your teacher at the front of the room. Another way to use upright is to mean "upstanding" or "trustworthy," so if your friend finds a wallet full of money and returns it to its owner, you can call her an upright citizen.

Definitions of upright
  1. adjective
    in a vertical position; not sloping
    “an upright post”
    synonyms: unsloped
    perpendicular, vertical
    at right angles to the plane of the horizon or a base line
  2. adjective
    upright in position or posture
    “he sat bolt upright
    synonyms: erect, vertical
    erectile
    capable of being raised to an upright position
    fastigiate
    having clusters of erect branches (often appearing to form a single column)
    orthostatic
    pertaining to an upright standing posture
    passant
    in walking position with right foreleg raised
    rampant, rearing
    rearing on left hind leg with forelegs elevated and head usually in profile
    semi-climbing
    of plants that are semi-climbers
    semi-erect
    of plants that are partly erect
    semi-upright
    of animals that are partly erect
    standing
    having a supporting base
    stand-up
    requiring a standing position
    statant
    standing on four feet
    straight, unbent, unbowed
    erect in posture
    see moresee less
    Antonyms:
    unerect
    not upright in position or posture
    accumbent, decumbent, recumbent
    lying down; in a position of comfort or rest
    bended, bent
    used of the back and knees; stooped
    cernuous, drooping, nodding, pendulous, weeping
    having branches or flower heads that bend downward
    couchant
    lying on the stomach with head raised with legs pointed forward
    dormant, sleeping
    (heraldry) lying with head on paws as if sleeping
    flat, prostrate, repent
    stretched out and lying at full length along the ground
    crooked, hunched, round-backed, round-shouldered, stooped, stooping
    having the back and shoulders rounded; not erect
    procumbent
    having stems that trail along the ground without putting down roots
    prone, prostrate
    lying face downward
    semi-prostrate
    imperfectly prostrate; prostrate for part of its length
    resupine, supine
    lying face upward
    show more antonyms...
  3. adjective
    of moral excellence
    “an upright and respectable man”
    synonyms: good, just
    righteous
    characterized by or proceeding from accepted standards of morality or justice
  4. noun
    a vertical structural member as a post or stake
    “the ball sailed between the uprights
    synonyms: vertical
    see moresee less
    types:
    show 33 types...
    hide 33 types...
    column, pillar
    (architecture) a tall vertical cylindrical structure standing upright and used to support a structure
    jamb
    upright consisting of a vertical side member of a door or window frame
    post
    an upright consisting of a piece of timber or metal fixed firmly in an upright position
    scantling, stud
    an upright in house framing
    scape, shaft
    (architecture) upright consisting of the vertical part of a column
    stile
    an upright that is a member in a door or window frame
    atlas, telamon
    a figure of a man used as a supporting column
    bitt, bollard
    a strong post (as on a wharf or quay or ship for attaching mooring lines)
    carrick bitt
    either of a pair of strong posts that support a windlass on a ship's deck
    caryatid
    a supporting column carved in the shape of a person
    corner post
    a square post supporting a structural member at the corner of a building
    doorjamb, doorpost
    a jamb for a door
    gatepost
    either of two posts that bound a gate
    goalpost
    one of a pair of posts (usually joined by a crossbar) that are set up as a goal at each end of a playing field
    hitching post
    a fixed post with a ring to which a horse can be hitched to prevent it from straying
    hop pole
    a tall pole to support the wires on which the hop plant is trained
    king post
    post connecting the crossbeam to the apex of a triangular truss
    lamppost
    a metal post supporting an outdoor lamp (such as a streetlight)
    maypole
    a vertical pole or post decorated with streamers that can be held by dancers celebrating May Day
    newel
    the central pillar of a circular staircase
    newel, newel post
    the post at the top or bottom of a flight of stairs; it supports the handrail
    pilaster
    a rectangular column that usually projects about a third of its width from the wall to which it is attached
    pile, piling, spile, stilt
    a column of wood or steel or concrete that is driven into the ground to provide support for a structure
    queen post
    vertical tie post in a roof truss
    rudderpost, rudderstock
    a vertical post at the forward edge of a rudder that enables the rudder to pivot
    stake
    a strong wooden or metal post with a point at one end so it can be driven into the ground
    stanchion
    any vertical post or rod used as a support
    standard
    an upright pole or beam (especially one used as a support)
    stump
    (cricket) any of three upright wooden posts that form the wicket
    support column
    a column that supports a heavy weight
    telegraph pole, telegraph post, telephone pole
    tall pole supporting telephone wires
    timber
    a post made of wood
    whipping post
    post formerly used in public to which offenders are tied to be whipped
    type of:
    structural member
    support that is a constituent part of any structure or building
  5. noun
    a piano with a vertical sounding board
    synonyms: upright piano
    see moresee less
    types:
    spinet
    a small and compactly built upright piano
    type of:
    forte-piano, piano, pianoforte
    a keyboard instrument that is played by depressing keys that cause hammers to strike tuned strings and produce sounds
Pronunciation
US

/ˌəpˈraɪt/

UK

/ˈəpraɪt/

Cite this entry
Style:
MLA
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago

Copy citation
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘upright'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Word Family
EDITOR'S CHOICE

Look up upright for the last time

Close your vocabulary gaps with personalized learning that focuses on teaching the words you need to know.

VocabTrainer - Vocabulary.com's Vocabulary Trainer