Master confusing words with ease
Upward vs. Upwards
Upward
/ˈʌpwəd/Examples:
The stock prices have been on an upward trend recently.An upward breeze lifted the leaves into the sky.They made an upward climb to reach the peak.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
Upwards
/ˈʌpwədz/Examples:
'Lighter than air,' said Bernard, pointing upwards.'Humbly and submissively,' returned the tragedian, scowling upwards.You have known him from a boy upwards.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
Ways to tell them apart:
- Both upward and upwards generally convey the same meaning related to direction or movement towards a higher place or position.
- In American English, upward is more commonly used both as an adjective and adverb, while upwards is often used as an adverb in British English.
- Remember that the -s in upwards suggests movement and is frequently used in informal contexts or to imply ongoing direction.
- Think of upward as a direction and upwards as a slightly more dynamic way to express upward movement.
- Since their application can vary regionally, recall that some contexts may accept both forms interchangeably without changing the meaning significantly.
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