Upon vs. Up — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman & Fiza Rafique — Updated on March 25, 2024
"Upon" is a preposition indicating reliance or occurrence in relation to something, while "up" is an adverb or preposition indicating direction, position, or movement towards a higher place.
Difference Between Upon and Up
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Upon is used to denote a physical or figurative support or basis, suggesting a relationship or dependency between two elements. It often implies action or condition triggered by another event. For instance, "upon hearing the news, she smiled." Up, on the other hand, denotes elevation or movement in a higher direction, emphasizing spatial orientation rather than relational context. An example is, "She climbed up the ladder."
While upon can also imply immediacy or occurrence in sequence, as in "Upon arrival, please sign in," up is used to describe an increase or improvement, such as in "Sales went up last quarter." This shows upon's focus on temporal or sequential relationships versus up's emphasis on spatial change or growth.
In literature and formal writing, upon is often preferred for its poetic or formal tone, suggesting a more deliberate action or condition set by preceding events. Up, however, is widely used in everyday language and informal contexts to describe physical movement, positions, or metaphorical rises, indicating its versatility and simplicity.
Upon's usage extends to expressions and idiomatic phrases where it establishes conditions or prerequisites, e.g., "conditions placed upon the agreement." Conversely, up is part of numerous phrasal verbs and expressions indicating completion, cessation, or readiness, such as "give up" or "up to date."
The distinction between upon and up reveals their complementary roles in language: upon emphasizes conditions, sequences, or dependencies, enriching narratives with depth and connection. Up, meanwhile, offers a direct, intuitive understanding of direction, improvement, or status, making it indispensable for clear and effective communication.
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Comparison Chart
Function
Preposition indicating relation or dependency
Adverb or preposition denoting direction or increase
Usage
Formal, literary, or specified conditions
Informal, everyday situations
Connotation
Sequential, conditional, or based upon
Directional, positional, or indicating increase
Examples
"Upon request," "Upon arrival"
"Move up," "Sales are up"
Common in
Formal writing, legal documents, literary texts
Conversational language, instructions
Compare with Definitions
Upon
Denoting a condition or prerequisite.
The contract is void upon breach.
Up
Towards a higher position or level.
She looked up at the stars.
Upon
Relating to a foundation or basis.
The theory is built upon empirical evidence.
Up
Referring to an increase or improvement.
Profits are up by 10% this year.
Upon
Signifying occurrence at a specific time.
Upon his return, the town celebrated.
Up
Indicating movement to a standing position.
Stand up when your name is called.
Upon
Used in formal or literary contexts.
He reflected upon his achievements with pride.
Up
Used in phrasal verbs with various meanings.
They decided to break up.
Upon
Indicating immediate succession.
Upon finishing the meal, he thanked the host.
Up
Denoting completion or end.
Time's up, please submit your papers.
Upon
On
The leaves are scattered upon the grass. He put the book upon the table. Upon hearing the news, we all cheered.
Up
In or to a higher position
Looking up.
Upon
Physically above and in contact with.
Place the book upon the table.
Up
In a direction opposite to the center of the earth or a comparable gravitational center
Up from the lunar surface.
Upon
Physically directly supported by.
The crew set sail upon the sea.
She balanced upon one foot.
Up
In or to an upright position
Sat up in bed.
Upon
Being followed by another so as to form a series.
Hours upon hours, years upon years, mile upon mile of desert
Up
Above a surface
Coming up for air.
Upon
On.
Up
So as to detach or unearth
Pulling up weeds.
Up
Above the horizon
As the sun came up.
Up
Into view or existence
Draw up a will.
Up
Into consideration
Take up a new topic.
Up
In or toward a position conventionally regarded as higher, as on a scale, chart, or map
Temperatures heading up.
Up in Canada.
Up
To or at a higher price
Stocks that are going up.
Up
So as to advance, increase, or improve
Our spirits went up.
Up
With or to a greater intensity, pitch, or volume
Turn the sound up.
Up
Into a state of excitement or turbulence
Stir up.
Rouse up.
Up
Completely; entirely
Drank it up in a gulp.
Fastened up the coat.
Up
Used as an intensifier of the action of a verb
Typed up a list.
Up
So as to approach; near
Came up and kissed me.
Up
To a stop
Pulled up in front of the station.
Up
Each; apiece
The score was tied at 11 up.
Up
Apart; into pieces
Tore it up.
Up
(Nautical) To windward.
Up
Being above a former position or level; higher
My grades are up. The pressure is up.
Up
Out of bed
Was up by seven.
Up
Standing; erect.
Up
Facing upward
Two cards up, one down.
The up side of a tossed coin.
Up
Raised; lifted
A switch in the up position.
Up
Moving or directed upward
An up elevator.
Up
Marked by increased excitement or agitation; aroused
Our fighting spirit was up.
Up
(Informal) Cheerful; optimistic; upbeat.
Up
(Slang) Happily excited; euphoric
After receiving the award, the performer was really up.
Up
(Informal) Taking place; going on
Wondered what was up back home.
Up
Being considered; under study
A contract that is up for renewal.
Up
Running as a candidate.
Up
On trial; charged
The defendant is up for manslaughter.
Up
Having been finished; over
Your time is up.
Up
Prepared; ready
Had to be up for the game.
Up
Functioning or capable of functioning normally; operational
Their computers are now up.
Up
(Sports) Being ahead or at a numerical advantage over one's opponent
Up two strokes in golf.
Up one man during the power play.
Up
(Baseball) At bat.
Up
As a bet; at stake.
Up
(Nautical) Bound; headed
A freighter up for Panama.
Up
From a lower to or toward a higher point on
Up the hill.
Up
Toward or at a point farther along
Two miles up the road.
Up
In a direction toward the source of
Up the Mississippi.
Up
(Nautical) Against
Up the wind.
Up
An upward slope; a rise.
Up
An upward movement or trend.
Up
(Slang) A feeling of excitement or euphoria.
Up
To increase
Upped their fees.
Upping our output.
Up
To raise to a higher level, especially to promote to a higher position.
Up
(Nautical) To raise
Up anchor.
Up sail.
Up
To get up; rise.
Up
Away from the surface of the Earth or other planet; in opposite direction to the downward pull of gravity.
I looked up and saw the airplane overhead.
Up
To or at a physically higher or more elevated position.
All day we climbed up and up.
Up
To a higher level of some quantity or notional quantity, such as price, volume, pitch, happiness, etc.
Gold has gone up with the uncertainty in the world markets.
Turn it up, I can barely hear it.
Listen to your voice go up at the end of a question.
Cheer up, the weekend's almost here.
Up
To or in a position of equal advance or equality; not short of, back of, less advanced than, away from, etc.; usually followed by to or with.
I was up to my chin in water.
A stranger came up and asked me for directions.
Up
(intensifier) Used as an aspect marker to indicate a completed action or state; thoroughly, completely.
I will mix up the puzzle pieces.
Tear up the contract.
He really messed up.
Please type up our monthly report.
Drink up. The pub is closing.
Can you sum up your research?
The meteor burned up in the atmosphere.
I need to sew up the hole in this shirt.
Up
To or from one's possession or consideration.
I picked up some milk on the way home.
The committee will take up your request.
She had to give up her driver's license after the accident.
Up
North.
I live in Florida, but I'm going up to New York to visit my family this weekend.
Up
Towards or at a central place, or any place that is visualised as 'up' by virtue of local features or local convention, or arbitrarily, irrespective of direction or elevation change.
We travelled from Yorkshire up to London.
I'm going up to the other end of town.
He lives up by the railway station.
Up
(rail transport) Towards the principal terminus, towards milepost zero.
Up
Aside or away, so as no longer to be present or in use.
To lay up riches; put up your weapons
Up
(sailing) Against the wind or current.
Up
(Cartesian graph) In a positive vertical direction.
Up
(cricket) Relatively close to the batsman.
The bowler pitched the ball up.
Up
Without additional ice.
A Cosmopolitan is typically served up.
Up
To university, especially to Cambridge or Oxford.
She's going up to read Classics this September.
Up
Toward the top of.
The cat climbed up the tree.
They walk up the steps.
Up
Toward the center, source, or main point of reference; toward the end at which something is attached.
The information made its way up the chain of command to the general.
I felt something crawling up my arm.
Up
From south to north of.
We sailed up the East Coast of England from Ipswich to South Shields.
Up
Further along (in any direction).
Go up the street until you see the sign.
Up
From the mouth towards the source of (a river or waterway).
He led an expedition up the Amazon.
Up
(colloquial) At (a given place, especially one imagined to be higher or more distant from a central location).
I'll see you later up the snooker club.
Up
Facing upwards.
Turn the cloth over so that the patterned side is up.
Up
On or at a physically higher level.
The flood waters are up again across large areas of the country.
Up
Headed or designated to go upward (as an escalator, stairway, elevator etc.) or toward (as a run-up).
Where is the up escalator?
Up
Fitted or fixed at a high or relatively high position, especially on a wall or ceiling.
All the notices are up now.
The Christmas decorations are up.
Up
(by extension) Available to view or use; made public; posted.
Is your new video up yet? I looked on the website, but I couldn't find it.
Up
Aloft.
The kite is up!
Up
Raised; lifted.
The castle drawbridge was up.
Don't go into the living room just now – I've got the carpet up.
Up
Built, constructed.
Are the new buildings up yet?
Up
Standing; upright.
The audience were up and on their feet.
Up
(obsolete) Risen up, rebelling, in revolt.
Up
Awake and out of bed.
I can’t believe it’s 3 a.m. and you’re still up.
Up
(horse-racing) Riding the horse; mounted.
Up
(of the sun or moon) Above the horizon, in the sky.
It'll get warmer once the sun's up.
Up
Larger; greater in quantity, volume, value etc.
Sales are up compared to last quarter.
My temperature is up this morning.
Up
Indicating a larger or higher quantity.
The barometer is up, so fine weather should be on the way.
Up
Ahead; leading; winning.
The home team were up by two goals at half-time.
Up
Finished, to an end
Time is up!
Her contract is up next month, so it's time to negotiate another one.
Up
In a good mood.
I’m feeling up today.
Up
(usually in the phrase up for) Willing; ready.
If you are up for a trip, let’s go.
Up
Next in a sequence.
Smith is up to bat.
Up
(not used attributively) Happening; new; of concern. See also what's up, what's up with.
What's up, bro?
What is up with that project at headquarters?
When I saw his face, I knew something was up.
Up
Said of the higher-ranking pair in a two pair.
AAKK = aces up
QQ33 = queens up
Up
Well-informed; current.
I’m not up on the latest news. What’s going on?
Up
(computing) Functional; working.
Is the server back up?
Up
(of a railway line or train) Traveling towards a major terminus.
The London train is on the up line.
Up
Chilled and served without ice.
Would you like that drink up or on ice?
Up
(slang) Erect. en
Up
Well-known; renowned
Up
(uncountable) The direction opposed to the pull of gravity.
Up is a good way to go.
Up
(countable) A positive thing, or a time or situation when things are going well.
I hate almost everything about my job. The only up is that it's so close to home.
There are many ups to caravanning, but also many downs.
I've been on an up all this week.
Up
(particle physics) An up quark.
Up
An upstairs room of a two story house.
She lives in a two-up two-down.
Up
To physically raise or lift.
We upped anchor and sailed away.
Up
To increase the level or amount of.
If we up the volume, we may be able to hear what he says.
As usual, they've upped the prices for Valentine's Day.
Up
To promote.
It wasn’t long before they upped him to Vice President.
Up
To rise to a standing position; hence, by extension, to act suddenly; see also up and.
She was sitting there quietly, then all of a sudden she upped and left.
He just upped and quit.
He upped and punched that guy.
Up
To ascend; to climb up.
Up
To upload.
100 new apps and games have just been upped.
Up
Aloft; on high; in a direction contrary to that of gravity; toward or in a higher place or position; above; - the opposite of down.
But up or down,By center or eccentric, hard to tell.
Up
From a lower to a higher position, literally or figuratively; as, from a recumbent or sitting position; from the mouth, toward the source, of a river; from a dependent or inferior condition; from concealment; from younger age; from a quiet state, or the like; - used with verbs of motion expressed or implied.
But they presumed to go up unto the hilltop.
I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up.
Up rose the sun, and up rose Emelye.
We have wrought ourselves up into this degree of Christian indifference.
Up
In a higher place or position, literally or figuratively; in the state of having arisen; in an upright, or nearly upright, position; standing; mounted on a horse; in a condition of elevation, prominence, advance, proficiency, excitement, insurrection, or the like; - used with verbs of rest, situation, condition, and the like; as, to be up on a hill; the lid of the box was up; prices are up.
And when the sun was up, they were scorched.
Those that were up themselves kept others low.
Helen was up - was she?
Rebels there are up,And put the Englishmen unto the sword.
His name was up through all the adjoining provinces, even to Italy and Rome; many desiring to see who he was that could withstand so many years the Roman puissance.
Thou hast fired me; my soul's up in arms.
Grief and passion are like floods raised in little brooks by a sudden rain; they are quickly up.
A general whisper ran among the country people, that Sir Roger was up.
Let us, then, be up and doing,With a heart for any fate.
Up
To or in a position of equal advance or equality; not short of, back of, less advanced than, away from, or the like; - usually followed by to or with; as, to be up to the chin in water; to come up with one's companions; to come up with the enemy; to live up to engagements.
As a boar was whetting his teeth, up comes a fox to him.
Up
To or in a state of completion; completely; wholly; quite; as, in the phrases to eat up; to drink up; to burn up; to sum up; etc.; to shut up the eyes or the mouth; to sew up a rent.
Up
Aside, so as not to be in use; as, to lay up riches; put up your weapons.
Up, up, my friend! and quit your books,Or surely you 'll grow double.
Up
From a lower to a higher place on, upon, or along; at a higher situation upon; at the top of.
In going up a hill, the knees will be most weary; in going down, the thihgs.
Up
From the coast towards the interior of, as a country; from the mouth towards the source of, as a stream; as, to journey up the country; to sail up the Hudson.
Up
Upon.
Up
The state of being up or above; a state of elevation, prosperity, or the like; - rarely occurring except in the phrase ups and downs.
They had their ups and downs of fortune.
Up
Inclining up; tending or going up; upward; as, an up look; an up grade; the up train.
Up
Raise;
Up the ante
Up
Being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level;
The anchor is up
The sun is up
He lay face up
He is up by a pawn
The market is up
The corn is up
Up
Getting higher or more vigorous;
Its an up market
An improving economy
Up
Extending or moving toward a higher place;
The up staircase
A general upward movement of fish
Up
(usually followed by `on' or `for') in readiness;
He was up on his homework
Had to be up for the game
Up
Open;
The windows are up
Up
(used of computers) operating properly;
How soon will the computers be up?
Up
Used up;
Time is up
Up
Out of bed;
Are they astir yet?
Up by seven each morning
Up
Spatially or metaphorically from a lower to a higher position;
Look up!
The music surged up
The fragments flew upwards
Prices soared upwards
Upwardly mobile
Up
To a higher intensity;
He turned up the volume
Up
Nearer to the speaker;
He walked up and grabbed my lapels
Up
To a more central or a more northerly place;
Was transferred up to headquarters
Up to Canada for a vacation
Up
To a later time;
They moved the meeting date up
From childhood upward
Common Curiosities
Can "upon" and "up" be used interchangeably?
No, "upon" and "up" serve different functions and cannot be used interchangeably.
What are some common expressions with "up"?
Common expressions include "give up," "up to date," and "clean up."
Why might a writer choose "upon" over "up"?
A writer might choose "upon" for a formal or literary tone, or to denote a conditional relationship.
How does "up" contribute to phrasal verbs?
"Up" contributes various meanings to phrasal verbs, often indicating completion, cessation, or readiness.
What does "upon" convey in a sentence?
"Upon" conveys a relationship or condition, often indicating an action triggered by another event.
How is "up" commonly used?
"Up" is commonly used to describe movement towards a higher place or an increase in size, amount, or intensity.
What role does "up" play in indicating direction?
"Up" indicates a direction towards a higher point, elevation, or level.
Can "upon" be used in casual conversation?
While less common, "upon" can be used in casual conversation, especially in set phrases or for emphasis.
Can "upon" indicate timing?
Yes, "upon" can indicate timing, especially in sequences or immediate actions following an event.
How do "upon" and "up" differ in terms of spatial versus conditional usage?
"Upon" is used for conditions and relationships, whereas "up" is used for spatial orientation and movement.
Is "upon" considered formal language?
Yes, "upon" is often considered more formal than "up" and is used in formal writing and specific conditions.
Are there contexts where "upon" and "up" could both fit, but with different meanings?
Yes, but their usage would change the meaning due to "upon's" focus on conditions or sequences and "up's" on spatial direction or increase.
Why is understanding the difference between "upon" and "up" important for effective communication?
Understanding the difference helps in choosing the correct word based on the desired tone, context, and meaning, ensuring clarity and precision in communication.
What makes "up" suitable for informal contexts?
Its simplicity and broad applicability make "up" suitable for informal contexts and everyday conversation.
How does the choice between "upon" and "up" affect the tone of a document?
Using "upon" can make a document sound more formal or deliberate, while "up" lends a more casual or direct tone.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
