upwards

/ˈʌpwədz/

//ˈʌpwədz// adv

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"upwards" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“upwards” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #10,472 in English word frequency and used as an adverb.

#10,472
frequency rank, English
7
letters
11
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Towards a (higher) position closer to the sky than the ground.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

upwards vs upward
86% similar
upwards vs upwardly
75% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for upwards
PropertyValue
Headwordupwards
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdverb
IPA/ˈʌpwədz/
Letters7
Frequency rank#10,472
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “upwards” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). upwards lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for upwards is 7 letters long, classified as an adverb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈʌpwədz/. Corpus data places it at rank #10,472 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for upwards, with forms such as "puwards", "upawrds", and "uppwards". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "upward", "upwardly", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English upwardes, from Old English upweardes, equivalent to up + -wards. Cognate with Dutch opwaarts (“upwards”), German aufwärts (“upwards”). The correct English form is upwards, spelled U-P-W-A-R-D-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    Towards a (higher) position closer to the sky than the ground.
  2. 2
    To a higher figure or amount.
  3. 3
    Towards something which is higher in order, larger, superior etc.
  4. 4
    Backwards in time, into the past.
  5. 5
    To or into later life.

Etymology

From Middle English upwardes, from Old English upweardes, equivalent to up + -wards. Cognate with Dutch opwaarts (“upwards”), German aufwärts (“upwards”).

Synonyms

upwardup

Antonyms

downwarddown

This word in other languages

arriba(Español)en haut(Français)aufwärts(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: puwards,upawrds,uppwards,upwadrs,upwardds,upwardss,upwarrds,upwarsd,upwrads,upwwards,uwpards

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of upwards - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

puwards2upawrds2uppwards1upwadrs2upwardds1upwardss1upwarrds1upwarsd2
Edit distance from "upwards"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "upwards"?
"upwards" is spelled U-P-W-A-R-D-S. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈʌpwədz/.
What does "upwards" mean?
As an adverb, "upwards" means: Towards a (higher) position closer to the sky than the ground.
What words are commonly confused with "upwards"?
"upwards" is commonly confused with "upward", "upwardly". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "upwards"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "upwards" is /ˈʌpwədz/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "upwards"?
From Middle English upwardes, from Old English upweardes, equivalent to up + -wards. Cognate with Dutch opwaarts (“upwards”), German aufwärts (“upwards”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “upwards”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is U-P-W-A-R-D-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈʌpwədz/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “upward” - see the side-by-side comparison. upwards vs upward
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list