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View synonyms for

upon

[ uh-pon, uh-pawn ]

preposition

  1. up and on; upward so as to get or be on:

    He climbed upon his horse and rode off.

  2. in an elevated position on:

    There is a television antenna upon every house in the neighborhood.

  3. in or into complete or approximate contact with, as an attacker or an important or pressing occasion:

    The enemy was upon us and our soldiers had little time to escape. The Christmas holiday will soon be upon us and we have hardly begun to buy gifts. The time to take action is upon us.

  4. immediately or very soon after:

    She went into mourning upon her husband's death.

  5. on the occasion of:

    She was joyful upon seeing her child take his first steps.

  6. on (in any of various senses, used as an equivalent of on with no added idea of ascent or elevation, and preferred in certain cases only for euphonic or metrical reasons):

    He swore upon his honor as a gentleman.



upon

/ əˈɒ /

preposition

  1. another word for on
  2. indicating a position reached by going up

    climb upon my knee

  3. imminent for

    the weekend was upon us again

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Word History and Origins

Origin of upon1

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English; up (adverb) + on (preposition)
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Word History and Origins

Origin of upon1

C13: from up + on
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Meta is pouring billions upon billions of dollars into its A.I. operations, and while it’s still a wildly valuable company, it can’t afford another metaverse-style implosion—especially at a moment when it’s already battling plenty of public scrutiny and adverse economic circumstances.

From

Gurr is told such a philosophy seems to clash with a company that made wishing upon a star — and phrases such as “If you can dream it, you can do it” — part of its brand.

From

Each spring since 2015, Pauly has called upon community scientists to document the mating behavior of alligator lizards, which involves the male holding the female in a bite, sometimes for days.

From

If policy rests upon transparently flawed economic reasoning or arbitrary distinctions lacking rational explanation, courts not only have the authority but also the constitutional duty to intervene.

From

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.

From

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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Upoluup one's alley