upstairs

1 of 3

adverb

up·​stairs ˌəp-ˈsterz How to pronounce upstairs (audio)
1
: up the stairs : on or to a higher floor
2
: to or at a high altitude or higher position
kicked upstairs to company management
3
: in the head : intellectually
… a little slow upstairs.—Tom Clancy
see also:
kick upstairs

upstairs

2 of 3

adjective

up·​stairs ˈəp-ˈsterz How to pronounce upstairs (audio)
: situated above the stairs especially on an upper floor
an upstairs bedroom

upstairs

3 of 3

noun

up·​stairs ˈəp-ˈsterz How to pronounce upstairs (audio)
ˈəp-ˌsterz
plural in form but singular or plural in construction
: the part of a building above the ground floor

Examples of upstairs in a Sentence

Adverb When you go upstairs, bring these towels with you. She was on her way upstairs when she heard a car drive up. Adjective You can use the upstairs bathroom.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adverb
Zuckerman and Montgomery briefly joined the festivities before heading upstairs for a wardrobe change. — Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026 Armed with a handgun, Catherine goes upstairs into Jay’s secret room and finds Emma there, but Alice stops her from shooting. — Kate Aurthur, Variety, 31 Aug. 2026
Adjective
The jury asked Judge William Sullivan to view empty pill bottles and the knife found on the nightstand in the Clancys' upstairs bedroom, defense attorney Kevin Reddington told The Patriot Ledger, part of the USA TODAY Network. — Melina Khan, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026 The estate plans to offer tours, rent out the garage and upstairs spaces in the powerhouse for events, and rent out the garage and upstairs spaces in the powerhouse for events upon the reopening. — Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 27 Aug. 2026
Noun
One of the bedrooms is located on the main floor with the other three upstairs. — Kaitlyn Keegan, Hartford Courant, 25 July 2026 In the back unit, a movie played from a projector upstairs; paintings lined the wall, all telling the story of the Miami locals used to know. — Delia Rose Sauer, Miami Herald, 15 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for upstairs

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

1584, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1782, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1842, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of upstairs was in 1584

Phrases Containing upstairs

Rhymes for upstairs

See All Rhymes for upstairs

Browse Nearby Words

upstage
upstairs
upstairs man
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Upstairs.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upstairs. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

upstairs

1 of 3 adverb
up·​stairs ˈəp-ˈsta(ə)rz How to pronounce upstairs (audio)
-ˈste(ə)rz
1
: up the stairs : to or on a higher floor
2
: to or at a higher position or level

upstairs

2 of 3 adjective
up·​stairs ˈəp-ˈsta(ə)rz How to pronounce upstairs (audio)
-ˈste(ə)rz
: located on an upper floor
the upstairs bedroom

upstairs

3 of 3 noun
up·​stairs ˈəp-ˈsta(ə)rz How to pronounce upstairs (audio) -ˈste(ə)rz How to pronounce upstairs (audio)
ˈəp-ˌsta(ə)rz, 
-ˌste(ə)rz
: the part of a building above the ground floor
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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