upstream

adverb or adjective

up·​stream ˈəp-ˈstrēm How to pronounce upstream (audio)
1
: in the direction opposite to the flow of a stream
2
: in or to a position within the production stream closer to manufacturing processes
make most of its money upstream, selling cheap crude … to refineriesJohn Quirt
3
biochemistry : toward the beginning of a series of cellular processes : preceding a linked molecular event occurring in a sequence
Many signaling pathways possess intrinsic negative feedback by which a downstream event in a pathway turns off an upstream event.Harvey Lodish et al.

Examples of upstream in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web By investing in restoration downstream in the value chain, corporates and investors help to provide sustainable income for those who look after the land everybody needs and reduce risks upstream by ensuring businesses can continue to make products well into the future. 1000 Landscapes For 1 Billion People, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Sandy Flat Campground, about a mile upstream, will remain open. Bay Area News Group, The Mercury News, 27 Feb. 2024 After a short trip a few miles upstream, the crew releases the fish into other sections of the canal where water is held. Trilce Estrada Olvera, The Arizona Republic, 15 Feb. 2024 What happens in the Lower Fox River is controlled by Lake Winnebago upstream, Robertson said. Caitlin Looby, Journal Sentinel, 31 Jan. 2024 Investigators traced the spill upstream to the unoccupied Fini-Finish shop building near Mound, south of 10 Mile. Keith Matheny, Detroit Free Press, 23 Feb. 2024 Monitoring stations upstream along the Sacramento River in Sutter, Colusa, Glenn and Tehama counties including the Fremont and Tisdale weirs, the Colusa Bridge and Hamilton City west of Chico are all at monitor stage, but waters remain well within their banks. Savanna Smith, Sacramento Bee, 19 Feb. 2024 The study questioned participants about the systems of waste management, and Barnett said people know the best action should be taken upstream during the design and production phases. Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 19 Feb. 2024 The rising waters snaked upstream, inundating the main river and dozens of its side canyons. Cassidy Randall, Rolling Stone, 18 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'upstream.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1681, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of upstream was in 1681

Dictionary Entries Near upstream

Cite this Entry

“Upstream.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upstream. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

upstream

adverb or adjective
up·​stream ˈəp-ˈstrēm How to pronounce upstream (audio)
: at or toward the beginning of a stream : against the current
salmon swimming upstream

Medical Definition

upstream

adverb or adjective
up·​stream ˈəp-ˈstrēm How to pronounce upstream (audio)
1
: in a direction along a molecule of DNA or RNA opposite to that in which transcription and translation take place and toward the end having a phosphate group attached to the position labeled 5′ in the terminal nucleotide
… stretches of DNA upstream of genes—are known as promoters.Matt Ridley, Time
compare downstream sense 1
2
: toward the beginning of series of cellular processes : preceding a linked molecular event occurring in a sequence
It's equally important to focus on additional mechanisms that are upstream of amyloid formation and mechanisms downstream that are involved in the actual degenerative processes within neurons.Marc Tessier-Lavigne, quoted in Science

More from Merriam-Webster on upstream

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!