adj
Uncommon
upstream
uhp-STREEM
Upstream (adj) means Positioned or moving against the direction a river or current flows. Example: “Salmon swim upstream to reach their spawning grounds.”
adj
1
Positioned or moving against the direction a river or current flows.
"Salmon swim upstream to reach their spawning grounds."
"The boat struggled to make progress upstream."
"We paddled the canoe to an upstream village where the river narrows."
2
Happening earlier in a process, or influencing what comes later.
"The delay was caused by an upstream supplier missing a deadline."
"Problems in the upstream stages of production usually affect every later step."
"An upstream design choice meant the whole team had to redo their work."
How to use upstream
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAgainst the current of a river, or — figuratively — earlier in a chain of events that affects everything after it.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
swim upstream
upstream suppliers
an upstream cause
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Word forms
- Plural
- upstreams
- Third person singular
- upstreams
- Past tense
- upstreamed
- Comparative
- further upstream, farther upstream
- Superlative
- furthest upstream, farthest upstream
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Salmon swim _____ to reach their spawning grounds.
Etymology
From up- + stream.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for upstream
See all rhymes for upstream →Frequently asked questions
What does “upstream” mean?
The word “upstream” means positioned or moving against the direction a river or current flows. In plain terms, against the current of a river, or — figuratively — earlier in a chain of events that affects everything after it.
How do you pronounce “upstream”?
“Upstream” is pronounced uhp-STREEM (/ʌpˈstɹiːm/ in IPA).
How do you use “upstream” in a sentence?
Here is “upstream” used in a sentence: “Salmon swim upstream to reach their spawning grounds.”
What is the opposite of “upstream”?
The opposite of “upstream” — its antonyms — is downstream.
What part of speech is “upstream”?
“Upstream” is an adjective.
Is “upstream” a common word?
“Upstream” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “upstream” have?
“Upstream” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: positioned or moving against the direction a river or current flows.
What is the difference between upstream and downstream?
Upstream refers to a position or movement against the direction a river or current flows, or earlier in a process. Downstream is the opposite, referring to the direction the current flows or later stages in a process. In business or manufacturing, upstream activities like raw material sourcing happen before downstream activities like retail sale.
How is upstream used outside of rivers, such as in business?</br>
Beyond its literal river sense, upstream describes anything happening earlier in a process or that influences later stages, such as upstream suppliers in a supply chain or upstream decisions in software development. This figurative use is common in industries like oil and gas, technology, and manufacturing.
Can upstream be used as an adverb as well as an adjective?
Yes, upstream is frequently used adverbially as well, as in 'swimming upstream' or 'the issue originated upstream,' describing the direction or location of an action rather than just describing a noun.
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