Skip to main content
up

up

3.5
A period of good luck or success
  • noun
  • /ʌp/
translation icon : mejora
  • Despite facing several challenges, his career had many ups that made all the hard work worthwhile.
  • ups and downs

Like it's been good, it's been bad, there's been UPS, there's been downs.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • The story highlights the many ups in her life, showcasing her triumphs and happy moments.

  • Like it's been good, it's been bad, there's been UPS, there's been downs.

  • You witnessed some of the ups and some of the downs.

  • I've been through, you know, a lot of ups and downs, highs and lows.

  • After completing a challenging project, the team experienced a fantastic up when they received positive feedback from their clients.

Synonyms

upbeat
vsup
3.4

A period when people feel positive and things go well

is the same meaning but applies to specific life events and successes
upness
vsup
  • Informal
9.5

A feeling of happiness and energy that makes someone feel positive

is a longer period or event in life rather than a momentary mood

Antonyms

69 4.4

A period when the economy or business gets worse

Idioms

what's up
  • Informal
554 7.2

A friendly question asking how someone is or what they are doing

up to
  • Informal
514 2.8

Busy doing something, often secret or causing trouble

241 2.8

Good enough to do something

235 5.1

Facing a difficult problem you must deal with

208 1.9

Moving both ways along the whole length of something

130 4.0

Busy with something and cannot do other things

fed up
  • Informal
121 3.6

Annoyed, bored, or tired because you have had too much of something

99 3.6

Payment made before work starts or words that are honest and direct

Working properly after it is started or fixed

fed up with
  • Informal
83 3.9

Feeling annoyed or bored because something has gone on too long

wrapped up
  • Informal
62 4.8

Very interested and completely involved in something

first up
  • Informal
52 3.7

To say which person or thing comes first

A repeated movement where both feet leave the ground to show excitement

33 3.6

Available for anyone to claim or win

worked up
  • Informal
33 6.5

Very upset or nervous because of strong feelings

32 4.6

To take responsibility and act when a difficult situation happens

31 4.7

Not yet decided or settled

30 6.9

Cannot sleep at night because you are worried

30 1.6

Before now, until the present moment

cooped up
  • Informal
28 5.5

Being kept in a small space makes you restless and unhappy

25 6.1

Very angry and protesting about something they think is unfair

To build something completely from the very beginning

22 6.9

Become completely destroyed or lost suddenly, often by fire

wound up
  • Informal
21 5.2

Feeling very nervous and unable to relax

up to no good
  • Informal
19 7.4

Acting in a secret or suspicious way to do something wrong

19 3.8

To get ready to do hard work

up to something
  • Informal
19 7.0

Doing something secret that may be wrong or harmful

18 5.5

Plans or hopes suddenly fail and disappear for good

it's up to you
  • Informal
17 3.0

The person you are talking to decides what to do

on the up-and-up
  • Informal
16 7.7

Honest and legal

chin up
  • Informal
15 7.1

Stay positive and keep going when things are difficult

15 6.5

To be wrong about who or what caused something

15 6.5

Raise both hands to show you feel frustrated or give up

12 3.4

To become friendly again after an argument

Decide or think of things during a situation without planning ahead

10 5.6

Not able to work because you are sick or injured and must stay in bed

hard up
  • Informal
10 8.0

Having very little money and struggling to pay bills

straight up
  • Jargon
9 7.6

A drink that is shaken or stirred with ice but served without ice

9 9.0

To no longer accept something annoying or unfair

pumped up
  • Informal
8 5.1

Very excited and full of energy because something good is about to happen

8 7.7

As good or impressive as people say

8 6.7

Act as if everything is fine in front of other people

8 6.5

To stay cheerful and hopeful when things go wrong

dolled up
  • Informal
7 6.9

Dressed in fancy clothes and makeup for a special event

Do what you promised in an agreement

up against it
  • Informal
7 8.0

In a difficult situation with little time or help

belly-up
  • Informal
6 7.1

A company or shop that is not operating because it has no money

6 7.7

Tell someone to do what they say or stop talking

up the river
  • Informal
6 8.5

In trouble and not able to fix the situation

up to here
  • Informal
5 7.4

Someone who has no more patience because of many annoying things

Try to have the same things and life as neighbors to appear successful

4 8.1

To die or stop working after a long time of problems

Compounds

cover-up
  • Literature
137 5.5

An attempt to hide a crime or scandal from the public

131 2.3

A person who is an adult, not a child

close-up
  • Specialized
125 3.4

A photograph or film shot that shows small details from very close

100 3.2

Stopping trying because you think you cannot succeed

95 1.0

A time when you stop sleeping and become awake

93 3.1

Modern and having the latest information, style, or technology

82 2.7

Wearing special formal clothes for a party or event

78 3.9

An action to check progress after an earlier activity

70 1.0

Work that removes dirt and rubbish from a place

heads-up
  • Informal
60 4.1

A quick warning that something will happen

57 3.1

A work that continues an earlier book or project

53 3.3

A mistake that happens when someone confuses one thing with another

47 2.7

A person or team that finishes second in an event

46 2.7

A hand gesture that shows approval by raising the thumb

42 3.4

Having the latest style or information

36 2.0

Things people put on their face or body to change how they look

stand-up
  • Jargon
35 3.7

A short meeting where team members stand and give brief updates about work

35 2.7

Light exercise you do before harder activity to get your body ready

screw-up
  • Informal
33 6.1

A careless mistake that causes problems or embarrassment

hang-up
  • Informal
30 6.8

An emotional problem that makes someone feel nervous or unable to act normally

30 4.0

Likely to become successful or popular soon

26 4.2

A drink or small activity that makes you feel more energetic when tired

25 3.0

A doctor's appointment to check recovery after treatment

screw-up
  • Offensive
22 7.0

A person who often makes mistakes in important situations

write-up
  • Literature
21 3.9

A short article that describes an event, often in a newspaper or magazine

20 2.3

At a great height above the ground

toss-up
  • Informal
20 6.2

A situation where two results have the same chance

20 2.5

A visit to a doctor to check your general health

20 3.6

An increase in amount, level, or strength

19 4.3

A desk or counter you use while standing rather than sitting

18 3.5

Caring for a child and teaching them how to behave

18 3.4

An event that makes people realize they must act or change what they do

18 3.5

An event that takes place later to replace one cancelled or missed

16 5.9

A sudden rise in prices or values over a short time

16 5.9

An unexpected problem that stops progress in a plan or process

15 5.4

A robbery using threats or a sudden delay

15 4.3

A major change in how people run an organization

bang-up job
  • Informal
15 4.2

A piece of work that is done very well

leg up
  • Informal
14 3.4

A form of help or small advantage that makes reaching a goal easier

13 3.7

A small careless mistake you make by accident

12 3.8

An event that pairs two sides, like sports teams, to compete

12 3.0

A form where people write their names to join an activity

11 6.0

A sudden increase in violence, anger, or symptoms

11 6.0

A person who is becoming successful and well known

mock-up
  • Specialized
10 4.8

A full size model of something to test or show it

get-up
  • Informal
10 5.6

A set of clothes worn to attract attention or to hide who you are

10 4.1

A service that adjusts and checks an engine so it runs better

The latest information available now

mess-up
  • Informal
9 5.1

A situation that is badly organized and full of mistakes

9 1.7

Made warm or hot by cooking, for example in a microwave

9 6.0

A way that starts with small parts and moves to the whole

catch-up
  • Informal
9 3.3

An informal meeting to share news and updates

9 4.8

Removing earth to uncover something buried, like an old object or body

pop-up
  • Texting
8 3.8

A shop that opens in one place for a short time

blowing up
  • Informal
8 6.7

An angry talk that tells someone they did something wrong

8 3.1

Wearing a lot of warm clothes because of cold weather

call up
  • Formal
8 6.4

An official order telling someone to report for military service

8 3.9

A small repair to make something look better

7 3.4

A small window that suddenly appears on your computer screen

heads-up
  • Informal
7 5.2

Fully alert and ready to act quickly

7 3.9

An exercise where you hang from a bar and pull your chin above it

6 3.6

A time of work to reach the same level after falling behind

6 2.3

An exercise where you lie on your back and lift your upper body to strengthen stomach muscles

6 3.6

Made larger than the original photo

5 7.1

A person with an important job in an organization

5 3.0

People take care of it so it stays in good condition

5 3.7

To fasten a boat to a dock with ropes

foul-up
  • Informal
5 7.7

A serious, embarrassing mistake often caused by confusion or poor planning

lay-up
  • Jargon
5 3.4

A close shot near the basket in basketball made with one hand, often off the backboard

An egg fried on one side with the yolk still runny on top

5 3.7

Spending or eating something until none remains

5 4.3

Bringing up food, phlegm or blood from the throat by coughing

5 2.7

A phone call arranged to wake someone at a set time

How Positive

boom
214 2.8
up
3.5
stagnation
19 6.8
downturn
69 4.4

Surface Forms

up singular
ups plural

Etymology

Up as a noun for a good time comes from the same idea of things going 'up' or getting better, so an up is a happy or successful period. Think of life as full of 'ups and downs' — an up is when things are higher or better.