adj Uncommon

upscale

UHPS-kayl

Upscale (adj) means Expensive and aimed at wealthier customers. Example: “They opened an upscale restaurant downtown.”

adj

Expensive and aimed at wealthier customers.

"They opened an upscale restaurant downtown."

verb

To increase something in scale or size.

"The factory plans to upscale production next year."

How to Use Upscale

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishFancy and pricey, or to make something bigger/grander.

Common pairings

upscale neighborhood upscale dining

more upscale comparative, upscaled past tense, upscales singular, most upscale superlative

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They opened an _____ restaurant downtown.

From up + scale, first used as an adjective in 1966 and as a verb in 1963.

· First attested 1966

Class of 1966 upscale joined the language around 1966.

Kwanzaa Miranda

See the full Class of 1966 →

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What does “upscale” mean?

The word “upscale” means expensive and aimed at wealthier customers. In plain terms, fancy and pricey, or to make something bigger/grander.

How do you pronounce “upscale”?

“Upscale” is pronounced UHPS-kayl (/ˈʌpskeɪl/ in IPA).

How do you use “upscale” in a sentence?

Here is “upscale” used in a sentence: “They opened an upscale restaurant downtown.”

What part of speech is “upscale”?

Depending on how it is used, “upscale” can be an adjective and a verb.

Where does the word “upscale” come from?

The word “upscale” dates back to around 1966. From up + scale, first used as an adjective in 1966 and as a verb in 1963.

Is “upscale” a common word?

“Upscale” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “upscale” have?

“Upscale” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: expensive and aimed at wealthier customers.