upstream
adverb or adjective
up·stream
ˈəp-ˈstrēm 
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 refineries—
John Quirt
John Quirt3
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.
Harvey Lodish et al.Examples of upstream in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But a 2019 analysis showed that a more strategic approach to site selection for future dam development—mainly, placing new dams upstream of existing dams—could generate equal or more electricity with nearly no additional loss of sediment.
—Jeff Opperman, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
And with rising seas gnawing away at its southern edge and dams hemming the Mekong River upstream, farming in the fertile delta is getting harder.
—Aniruddha Ghosal, Quartz, 13 Mar. 2024
Cataract’s rebirth miles upstream from this spot, where the scale of the dam’s impact is still so apparent, keeps DeHoff and Flynn grounded in their mission.
—Cassidy Randall, Rolling Stone, 18 Feb. 2024
Increasing sections of Kellogg Avenue from east of Delta Avenue upstream to near Coney Island to near Eight Mile Road are flooded, as well as parts of Humbert Avenue in the East End of Cincinnati.
—The Enquirer, 1 Feb. 2024
Maoyan has moved upstream into production investment and distribution services.
—Patrick Frater, Variety, 22 Mar. 2024
At the same time, in the late 19th and early 20th century, the Gila River Indian Community, which has relied on its eponymous river for farming for millennia, was thrust into crisis and famine when the river was dammed upstream.
—Arlyssa D. Becenti, The Arizona Republic, 1 Mar. 2024
Persistent drought dropped water levels in the Mississippi River to historic lows in 2023, which allowed saltwater from the Gulf of Mexico to push upstream and contaminate urban drinking water supplies.
—Denise Chow, NBC News, 25 Feb. 2024
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
Jeff Opperman, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
And with rising seas gnawing away at its southern edge and dams hemming the Mekong River upstream, farming in the fertile delta is getting harder.
—Aniruddha Ghosal, Quartz, 13 Mar. 2024
Cataract’s rebirth miles upstream from this spot, where the scale of the dam’s impact is still so apparent, keeps DeHoff and Flynn grounded in their mission.
—Cassidy Randall, Rolling Stone, 18 Feb. 2024
Increasing sections of Kellogg Avenue from east of Delta Avenue upstream to near Coney Island to near Eight Mile Road are flooded, as well as parts of Humbert Avenue in the East End of Cincinnati.
—The Enquirer, 1 Feb. 2024
Maoyan has moved upstream into production investment and distribution services.
—Patrick Frater, Variety, 22 Mar. 2024
At the same time, in the late 19th and early 20th century, the Gila River Indian Community, which has relied on its eponymous river for farming for millennia, was thrust into crisis and famine when the river was dammed upstream.
—Arlyssa D. Becenti, The Arizona Republic, 1 Mar. 2024
Persistent drought dropped water levels in the Mississippi River to historic lows in 2023, which allowed saltwater from the Gulf of Mexico to push upstream and contaminate urban drinking water supplies.
—Denise Chow, NBC News, 25 Feb. 2024
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
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.
Dictionary Entries Near upstream
Cite this Entry
“Upstream.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upstream. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
upstream
adverb or adjective
up·stream
ˈəp-ˈstrēm
: at or toward the beginning of a stream : against the current
salmon swimming upstream
Medical Definition
upstream
adverb or adjective
up·stream
ˈəp-ˈstrēm
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
Matt Ridley, Time2
: 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
Marc Tessier-Lavigne, quoted in ScienceLove words? Need even more definitions?
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