Upward
What it means
Moving or tending toward a higher level, position, or result.
Reach for it when describing positive direction without claiming the destination has been reached
The latest survey shows an upward trend in reading confidence.
Words to choose between 6
| playful | |
|---|---|
| everyday | |
| professional | |
| formal |
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playful
on the way up
Fits when informal progress or status fits
Careful The phrase can imply social climbing.
-
everyday
rising
Fits when active increase is visible
Careful Rising can describe harmful costs or temperatures.
-
everyday
uphill
Fits when physical ascent is intended
Careful Uphill can figuratively mean becoming harder.
-
professional
Fits when quality becomes better
Careful Improving is evaluative, while upward only names direction.
-
professional
Fits when a favorable trend is meant
Careful Positive is vague and may describe a value above zero.
-
formal
ascending
Fits when literal movement or ordered rank is central
Careful Ascending sounds technical for social progress.
Opposites 3
- downward
- falling
- declining
Common phrases 3
-
upward trend
The upward trend remained after seasonal effects were removed.
-
upward movement
Upward movement of warm air carried smoke into the roof space.
-
upward path
Her upward path included a deliberate move into a smaller role.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Dvortygirl, American accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Updated