uphill

1 of 3

adverb

up·​hill ˈəp-ˈhil 

1

: upward on a hill or incline

2

: against difficulties

seemed to be talking uphill

—Willa Cather

uphill

2 of 3

noun

up·​hill ˈəp-ˌhil 

: rising ground : ascent

uphill

3 of 3

adjective

up·​hill ˈəp-ˌhil 

1

: situated on elevated ground

2

a

: going up : ascending

b

: being the higher one or part especially of a set

specifically : being nearer the top of an incline

3

: difficult, laborious

Synonyms

Noun

• acclivity
• ascent
• hill
• rise
• upgrade
• uprise

Adjective

• arduous
• Augean
• backbreaking
• challenging
• demanding
• difficult
• effortful
• exacting
• formidable
• grueling
• gruelling
• hard
• heavy
• hellacious
• herculean
• killer
• laborious
• moiling
• murderous
• pick-and-shovel
• rigorous
• rough
• rugged
• severe
• stiff
• strenuous
• sweaty
• tall
• testing
• toilsome
• tough

Examples of uphill in a Sentence

Adverb

It is easier to ride a bicycle downhill than uphill.

Noun

no matter where you go bicycle touring, the uphills always seem to outnumber the downhills

Adjective

It has been an uphill battle for her to get an education.

an uphill battle to eradicate poverty in an area of the state that has never known anything else

Recent Examples on the Web

Adverb

Granted, air resistance is a negligible factor when cycling uphill, which is why experienced bicyclists will try to double their power output/speed during climbs. —Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 25 Sep. 2024

To someone treating nonrenewable resource economics as having the scientific validity of physics, this would as if water flowed uphill. —Michael Lynch, Forbes, 18 Oct. 2024

Noun

On the uphill, the 4-Quattro Pro also saw improvements over its predecessor, the 4-Quattro XT. —Outside Editors, Outside Online, 11 Nov. 2024

But their grueling three-hour journey of uphill bushwhacking in the rain ended in disappointment. —Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 Oct. 2024

Adjective

Moore still faces an uphill climb to get nominated for this extremely un-Oscar-y film, but Mubi has succeeded at making The Substance into a cultural event — a necessary task if this train is to go all the way. —Nate Jones, Vulture, 26 Oct. 2024

The recovery will take months; at 40 years old, the uphill climb will be significant for dos Anjos. —Brian Mazique, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

1535, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1548, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1613, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing uphill

• uphill battle

Kids Definition

uphill

1 of 2 adverb

up·​hill ˈəp-ˈhil 

1

: in an upward direction

2

: against difficulties

uphill

2 of 2 adjective

up·​hill ˌəp-ˌhil 

1

: being on high ground

2

: going up : ascending

3

: difficult sense 1

an uphill struggle