1
a
: higher in physical position, rank, or order
the upper lip
upper management
b
: farther inland
the upper Mississippi
2
: constituting the branch of a bicameral legislature that is usually smaller and more restricted in membership and possesses greater traditional prestige than the lower house
3
a
: constituting a stratum relatively near the earth's surface
b
capitalized
: being a later epoch or series of the period or system named
Upper Cretaceous
Upper Paleolithic
4
: northern
upper Manhattan
: one that is upper: such as
a
: the parts of a shoe or boot above the sole
b
: an upper tooth or denture
c
: an upper berth
1
: a stimulant drug
especially
: amphetamine
2
: something that induces a state of good feeling or exhilaration
Examples of upper in a Sentence
Adjective
upper and lower front teeth
the wing's upper and lower surfaces
the ship's upper and lower decks
Who will sleep on the upper berth?
The upper stories are occupied by offices.
the upper layer of the Earth's crust
temperatures in the mid to upper 20s
Write your name on the upper left-hand corner of the page.
relief of upper back pain
the mountain's upper and lower slopes
Recent Examples on the Web
Jade Simon, Vogue, 10 July 2024
In the upper peninsula, officials would reinstate coyote season year-round, allow antlerless deer to be hunted with archery equipment only, eliminate antlerless permits in certain regions, enact a three point restriction and create hunter safety courses for local schools.
—Carly Moran | The Center Square, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 10 July 2024
Marilyn La Jeunesse, Travel + Leisure, 6 July 2024
Metro Detroit faces the summer's first heat wave this week, with temperatures in the uppers 90s, cooling to the 70s overnight.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Detroit Free Press, 18 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for upper 
Adjective
Photo: Romain Laprade The 138 rooms and suites are plush cocoons of comfort, spread out along the corridors on the upper floors where rope handrails provide a nautical touch.
—Jade Simon, Vogue, 10 July 2024
In the upper peninsula, officials would reinstate coyote season year-round, allow antlerless deer to be hunted with archery equipment only, eliminate antlerless permits in certain regions, enact a three point restriction and create hunter safety courses for local schools.
—Carly Moran | The Center Square, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 10 July 2024
Noun
Featuring suede uppers and linings, the Birkenstock Uji sandals give the brand's classic slip-ons a stylish new look.
—Marilyn La Jeunesse, Travel + Leisure, 6 July 2024
Metro Detroit faces the summer's first heat wave this week, with temperatures in the uppers 90s, cooling to the 70s overnight.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Detroit Free Press, 18 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for upper
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'upper.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near upper
Cite this Entry
“Upper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upper. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
upper
1 of 3 adjective
up·per
ˈəp-ər 
1
: higher in physical position, rank, or order
the upper lip
upper management
2
: being the smaller and more restricted branch of a two-house legislature
3
capitalized
: of, relating to, or being a later geologic period or formation
the Upper Cretaceous period
4
: being toward the interior : further inland
the upper Amazon
5
: northern
upper New York state
upper
2 of 3 noun1
: the parts of a shoe or boot above the sole
2
: an upper tooth or set of teeth
3
: an upper berth
upper
3 of 3 noun
: a stimulant drug
especially
: amphetamine
Medical Definition
upper
1 of 2 noun
up·per
ˈəp-ər
: an upper tooth or denture
upper
2 of 2 noun
: a stimulant drug
especially
: amphetamine
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share