upside

1 of 2

noun

up·​side ˈəp-ˌsīd 

1

: an upward trend (as of prices)

2

a

: a positive aspect

b

: promise, potential

a young star with lots of upside

upside

2 of 2

preposition

up·​side ˈəp-ˈsīd 

: up on or against the side of

layin' in this death cell, writin' my time upside the wall

—Lonnie Johnson

smacked him upside the head

Examples of upside in a Sentence

Noun

One upside to the new house is its location.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

While the company’s PS is now 2.5x there is an upside when the current PS is compared to levels seen in the past years: 3.6x at the end of 2021 and 3.3x as recent as 2023. —Trefis Team, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025

The biggest upside to a Shark vacuum is the excellent suction power and budget friendly price. —Alida Nugent, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Jan. 2025

Preposition

He’s always hit, with his power upside the bigger question. —Keith Law, The Athletic, 22 Dec. 2024

Bernard’s intensity, red-hot motor and likable athleticism should enable him to develop into a special teams ace under coordinator John Fassel’s tutelage. Plus, his coverage ability and adequate instincts give him upside as a defender. —John Owning, Dallas News, 1 May 2020

Word History

Etymology

Noun

up entry 2 + side entry 1

Preposition

perhaps from up entry 1 + -side (as in alongside)

First Known Use

Noun

1927, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Preposition

1929, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing upside

• on the upside
• turn (something) upside down
• upside down
• upside-down cake
• upside the head