as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
an uphill battle to eradicate poverty in an area of the state that has never known anything else
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in hill
an upward slope
no matter where you go bicycle touring, the uphills always seem to outnumber the downhills
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of uphill
Colson Thayer,
PEOPLE,
26 June 2026
Haiti already faced an uphill climb to get back into this game trailing 2-0, but now their opportunity to draw a point looks positively grim.
—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
20 June 2026
Outside,
28 Feb. 2026
The Chiefs’ run over the last decade was akin to moving a boulder uphill.
—
Sam McDowell 5,
Kansas City Star,
5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for uphill
Adjective
The ride currently holds the record for the largest zero-G stall in America — an inversion that takes riders uphill, rotates them 180 degrees upside down, and hovers above ground for a weightless airtime moment before returning upright.
—
Colson Thayer,
PEOPLE,
26 June 2026
Haiti already faced an uphill climb to get back into this game trailing 2-0, but now their opportunity to draw a point looks positively grim.
—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
20 June 2026
Noun
This also means that the jacket is lightweight enough to stash on the uphill and warm enough to offer protection on the ski down.
—
Outside,
28 Feb. 2026
The Chiefs’ run over the last decade was akin to moving a boulder uphill.
—
Sam McDowell 5,
Kansas City Star,
5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for uphill
Recent Examples of Synonyms for uphill
Adjective
-
Sarah Buck, Chicago Driving has become harder The rapid increase in bike lanes has made driving much more difficult and tedious, with numerous delays due to many streets being reduced to one lane in busy areas.
-
Republican strategists have welcomed those nominations as an opening for attack in a difficult election year.
Noun
-
Kotagiri was once a hill station from the British era, and that’s why many of its older houses feature the same heavy stone masonry.
-
The rolling hills and pastureland of Vernon County are home to the highest concentration of organic farms in the state.
Adjective
-
This enduring legacy, underscores the lawyer's role as an officer of the court, preserving the rule of law even when challenging authority.
-
Educate your family on our country’s history, both good and challenging.
Noun
-
The riverfront includes steep inclines, large rocks and uneven ground that can be difficult for workers or machinery to manage safely.
-
Temperatures will be on the incline, reaching into the 90s by lunchtime and the upper 90s by the late afternoon.
Adjective
-
MacDonald agrees that some of Kiros' positions could put Democratic candidates in a tough spot.
-
The 34 measures include cuts to income tax for low- and middle income families, an overhaul of the creaking pension system, tougher rules for employees' sick leave and a reduction of the country's stifling bureaucracy.
Adjective
-
Not long afterward, he was elected president on a platform deeply hostile to the West and its liberal ideology, and especially to the United States — threatening a hard fight in the event of war.
-
That’s hard to imagine of a president who uses the office to promote and prosper from his own brand name.
Adjective
-
Every cybersecurity article is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors.
-
This improves both customer and agent experience, while still meeting rigorous business standards around accuracy, reliability, and risk management.
Adjective
-
Building a paper airplane can be as demanding as building the airframe of a real aircraft.
-
Once the evaluation process is complete, the company plans to scale production to thousands of units over the next three years, targeting manufacturers seeking to automate physically demanding and hazardous work.
Cite this Entry
“Uphill.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/uphill. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
