upright

upright — adjective

1. placed or positioned so that the top is directly above the bottom, with no leani

1.adjectiveA2
Definition

placed or positioned so that the top is directly above the bottom, with no leaning to either side.

Example

After the storm flattened the fence, Dario pushed the boards back into an upright position.

common collocation 'upright position'

The museum guard reminded visitors to keep their umbrellas in an upright position when not in use.

Common collocations
  • stand upright
  • sit upright
  • remain upright
  • upright position
  • perfectly upright
  • bolt upright
Synonyms
  • vertical

    more technical; describes a line or direction rather than an object's posture

  • erect

    more formal; often describes the human body or buildings

  • straight

    broader meaning; can also mean 'not curved' rather than 'not leaning'

Antonyms
  • horizontal

    lying flat rather than standing up

  • slanted

    leaning at an angle rather than straight up

  • flat

    resting on the ground rather than standing

Usage Note

Frequently appears in the set phrase 'in an upright position' to describe sitting or standing with the back straight.

Common Mistakes

The bottle fell over but stayed upright on its side.
The bottle fell over but stayed upright on its base.
Something upright must go straight up, not lie on its side.
She sat upright in her chair, leaning slightly to the right.
She sat upright in her chair with her back perfectly straight.
'Upright' implies symmetry, not a tilted posture.

2. having a firm sense of right and wrong, and choosing to act with honesty and fai

2.adjectiveB1
Definition

having a firm sense of right and wrong, and choosing to act with honesty and fairness even when doing so is difficult.

Example

The community trusted Diego because he was an upright person who never broke a promise.

common usage 'upright person'

Her grandfather was an upright citizen who volunteered at the local library for thirty years.

Common collocations
  • upright citizen
  • upright person
  • upright character
  • upright judge
  • upright conduct
Synonyms
  • honest

    more common and less formal; focuses specifically on truthfulness

  • principled

    similar register; stresses acting according to a personal moral code

  • upstanding

    very similar meaning; often used in 'upstanding member of the community'

  • righteous

    stronger, sometimes religious tone; can sound self-righteous in casual use

Antonyms
  • dishonest

    most direct opposite; someone who lies or deceives

  • corrupt

    specifically describes someone who accepts bribes or abuses power

Usage Note

Commonly describes a person's character in respectful or formal settings, such as 'upright citizen' or 'upright judge.' Less common in casual conversation, where 'honest' or 'decent' is preferred.

Common Mistakes

She is an upright person because she always arrives on time.
She is an upright person because she refuses to lie or cheat.
'Upright' describes moral honesty, not punctuality or efficiency.

3. describing a type of object whose height is clearly greater than its width, usua

3.adjectiveB1
Definition

describing a type of object whose height is clearly greater than its width, usually designed to save floor space.

Example

The delivery driver struggled to fit the upright freezer through the kitchen doorway.

standard term 'upright freezer'

Bilal bought an upright vacuum cleaner because it took up less space in the closet.

Common collocations
  • upright piano
  • upright freezer
  • upright vacuum cleaner
Synonyms
  • vertical

    can describe the same objects but focuses on direction rather than shape ratio

  • tall

    simpler word, but less specific about the design purpose

Antonyms
  • compact

    describes items that are short or wide rather than tall

Usage Note

This sense only applies to certain manufactured products that come in both tall-and-narrow and wide-and-short versions (freezers, vacuums, pianos, etc.). It is not used for natural objects like trees or people.

Common Mistakes

The tall tree in the garden is upright.
The tall tree in the garden is very tall and straight.
This sense only describes product types, not natural objects.
Idioms

sit/stand bolt upright

idiom

To sit or stand with a very straight back, often suddenly.

When the teacher called his name, Tom sat bolt upright.

The guard stood bolt upright as the general entered.

upright — adverb

upright — noun

Word family

  • uprightly
    adverbC1
  • uprightness
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

'Upright' (A2) is the most everyday word for something that stands with its top above its base, not leaning. 'Vertical' (B1) is more technical and describes a direction or line rather than an object's posture — a wall is vertical, but a person who has just stood up is upright. 'Erect' (B2) is more formal and often describes a body position or a building that has been constructed: 'She sat erect in her chair' sounds stiffer than 'She sat upright in her chair.' 'Straight' (A1) is the simplest and widest word, covering 'not curved' (a straight line) as well as 'not leaning' (stand up straight). For a learner, 'upright' is the best choice for describing the position of a physical object or a person's back; use 'vertical' for directional measurements and 'erect' only in formal or medical contexts.

vertical ↗erect ↗straight ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • upright position
  • upright posture
  • upright citizen
  • upright piano
  • upright freezer
  • upright vacuum cleaner

Adverbs

  • fully upright
  • perfectly upright
  • bolt upright
  • ramrod upright

Phrases

  • in an upright position
  • sit bolt upright
  • stand upright
  • remain upright
  • an upright and honest person

Prepositions

  • upright against [the wall]
  • upright in [the chair/seat]
  • upright on [the base/stand]

Etymology

Old EnglishModern English

'Upright' comes from Old English 'upriht,' a combination of 'up' (upward) and 'riht' (straight, not bent). The original meaning was purely physical — something standing straight upward. By the early 1300s, the word had developed a moral meaning as well: someone whose character is 'straight' and not crooked, like a person who stands firm in their principles regardless of pressure.