What does "upper" mean?
A stimulant, such as amphetamine, that increases energy and decreases appetite.
Upper
/ˈʌpə(ɹ)/ adj, noun
adj, noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A stimulant, such as amphetamine, that increases energy and decreases appetite.
- Grammar: upper is listed as adj, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: a cut above, above, administrator, advanced.
- Useful contrasts: lower, under, base units.
- Usage evidence: Unlike Great Britain, the Upper House in the United States is an elected body.
How to use "upper"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "upper" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "upper" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "upper" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "upper" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "upper" is acting as adj, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "a cut above" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "upper", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A stimulant, such as amphetamine, that increases energy and decreases appetite.
"Say, for example, a person starts with the use of a downer that reduces any anxiety and produces a sense of relaxation. When their energy levels drop, they take a stimulant in order to continue participating in the party or another event. This creates a cycle that could lead to significant drug use and drastically increases the risk of overdose or death. It is critical to know which drugs are uppers and downers to avoid this combination."
- 2 a central nervous system stimulant that increases energy and decreases appetite; used to treat narcolepsy and some forms of depression wordnet
- 3 A stimulant, such as amphetamine, that increases energy and decreases appetite.; Anything that cheers one up.
"1977-1980, Lou Sullivan, personal diary, quoted in 2019, Ellis Martin, Zach Ozma (editors), We Both Laughed In Pleasure Patrick was a cabbie & a dispatcher at Yellow Cab & when we got to the church where the [funeral] services were being held, the cabbies came out in force for Pat & there were at least 30 cabs pulling into the church parking lot. It was a real upper for a lot of us."
- 4 piece of leather or synthetic material that forms the part of a shoe or boot above the sole that encases the foot wordnet
- 5 The upper portion of something.
"The slewing ring is basically a large bearing upon which the upper is mounted. The outer race of the slewing ring is bolted to the upper, and the inner race is bolted to the car-body."
Show 10 more definitions
- 6 the higher of two berths wordnet
- 7 The upper portion of something.; The piece of material that forms the top part of a shoe or boot above the sole.
"Holonyms: shoe, boot"
- 8 The upper portion of something.; The Y-shaped strap on flip-flops.
- 9 Someone with higher social standing
"Thus a vicious circle is established: the uppers offer participation, and the lowers, feeling persecuted, withdraw."
- 10 Someone with higher social standing; A senior student.
"Each Upper had his private Fag; but general fagdom consisted of obedience to the demand of every Upper, no matter in whose House he happened to be."
- 11 That which is higher, contrasted with the lower.
"Next, take up slack equally on the two uppers until they are snug."
- 12 That which is higher, contrasted with the lower.; A tooth in the upper jaw.
"In the lingualized type of occlusion, contact of the lingual cusps of the uppers against the semianatomic teeth on the lowers will be seen in lateral, protrusive, and eccentric movements."
- 13 That which is higher, contrasted with the lower.; A denture or retainer for the teeth in the upper jaw.
"Treatment was continued until November, 1909, when a retainer was placed in position in the lower, consisting of bands round the lower first molars and a wire passing lingually round all the teeth. The upper was retained by means of a plate with wires wires passing behind the upper first molars and round in front of all the teeth."
- 14 That which is higher, contrasted with the lower.; An upper berth or bunk.
"The Railroad Company further averred that it operated sleeping cars over its system of more than 7,000 miles of interstate roads, and that the Interstate Commerce Commission had prescribed rates for each of said sleeping car units on trains running to and from the state of Wisconsin. The rate fixed for the upper was 80 per cent. of the charge for the use of the lower; the price for the whole section beting the sum of the two rates."
- 15 A spiritual passageway through which consciousness can reach a higher dimension.
"The 'upper' is one of nine apertures through which consciousness can leave the body at death (utkrantih)."
Adjective
- 1 At a higher level, rank or position.
- 2 Situated on higher ground, further inland, or more northerly.
- 3 Younger, more recent.
- 4 Of or pertaining to a secondary school.
Adjective
- 1 higher in place or position wordnet
- 2 superior in rank or accomplishment wordnet
- 3 the topmost one of two; upper wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Unlike Great Britain, the Upper House in the United States is an elected body."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "upper"?
Common synonyms include: a cut above, above, administrator, advanced, advantage, ahead.
How do you use "upper" in a sentence?
Unlike Great Britain, the Upper House in the United States is an elected body.
How do you pronounce "upper"?
Pronounced /ˈʌpə(ɹ)/.
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *upó Proto-Germanic *ub Proto-Germanic *upp Proto-West Germanic *upp Old English upp Middle English up Proto-Indo-European *-yōs Proto-Germanic *-izô Proto-West Germanic *-iʀō Proto-Germanic *-ōzô Proto-West Germanic *-ōʀō Old English -ra Middle English -er Middle English upper English upper Inherited from Middle English upper. By surface analysis, up + -er.