1
2
3

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective upright differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of upright are conscientious, honest, honorable, just, and scrupulous. While all these words mean "having or showing a strict regard for what is morally right," upright implies a strict adherence to moral principles.

a stern and upright minister

How are the words conscientious and scrupulous related as synonyms of upright?

Both conscientious and scrupulous imply an active moral sense governing all one's actions and painstaking efforts to follow one's conscience.

conscientious in the completion of her assignments
scrupulous in carrying out the terms of the will

When might honest be a better fit than upright?

In some situations, the words honest and upright are roughly equivalent. However, honest stresses adherence to such virtues as truthfulness, candor, or fairness.

known for being honest in business dealings

When can honorable be used instead of upright?

The synonyms honorable and upright are sometimes interchangeable, but honorable suggests a firm holding to codes of right behavior and the guidance of a high sense of honor and duty.

a difficult but honorable decision

When is just a more appropriate choice than upright?

While in some cases nearly identical to upright, just stresses conscious choice and regular practice of what is right or equitable.

workers given just compensation

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 upright But Glenn, the upright one, isn’t coming clean either. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 12 Apr. 2025 The pilot was able to inflate pontoons so the helicopter remained upright on the water and there were no serious injuries, though the passengers were all taken to hospital. David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Apr. 2025 From slow blinks to an upright tail, here’s some cues to look out for when reading your cat’s body language. Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 11 Apr. 2025 The riding stance is reported to encourage an active position rather than upright, and bike weight starts at 16.6 kg (36.6 lb). New Atlas, 8 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for upright
Recent Examples of Synonyms for upright
Adjective
  • Court documents show Blankenship has been employed by the city since 2006 following his honorable discharge from the Coast Guard.
    Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 11 Apr. 2025
  • White Painted Woman was a model of heroism and honorable womanhood: When evil monsters were hunting the Apache people, the White Painted Woman gave birth to a son who would destroy the creatures to help make Earth inhabitable for humanity.
    Alejandra Rubio, NPR, 29 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • And, to be honest, her description of the breakup at that time sounded a lot more amicable than it’s been sounding lately.
    Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 24 Apr. 2025
  • But only if leaders have the appetite for that kind of honest data.
    Aparna Rae, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Maintenance cleans include dusting, vacuuming, and mopping, cleaning of horizontal surfaces, and spot-cleaning of vertical surfaces such as walls and cabinet fronts.
    Abby Wolner, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Apr. 2025
  • Adorn a retaining wall with a vertical planter Hang vibrant bucket planters to dress up an ordinary retaining wall.
    Katherine McLaughlin, Architectural Digest, 18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Despite all of that, as the legislature enters the final weeks of its spring session, strengthening the state’s ethical safeguards doesn’t appear to be anywhere near the top of the agenda in Springfield.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2025
  • His relationship evolved from setting firm boundaries to setting ethical guardrails, offering context, and supporting his autonomy with curiosity and love.
    Rebekah Bastian, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The daughter of Season 25’s Bryan Olesen turned out a perfectly respectable rendition of Avril Lavigne’s ballad.
    Charlie Mason, TVLine, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Rose shot a very respectable round of 71, but had too many bogeys mixed in with his handful of birdies.
    Jacob Lev, CNN Money, 11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Abrego García, 29, was deported on March 15 despite a standing immigration court ruling from 2019 barring his removal to El Salvador due to credible threats from gangs targeting his family’s pupusa business.
    Nik Popli, Time, 11 Apr. 2025
  • Read Next World Local’s theory about ancient standing stone in UK forest turns out to be true.
    Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Ice is not nice The ice at American Airlines Center was a huge problem in Game 2, with players on both teams falling down left and right.
    Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2025
  • It’s made of a tarp-like material that feels pretty durable and the lid zippers, which is nice to contain smells.
    Sara Coughlin, SELF, 22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • As the film progresses, this wide-eyed curiosity shifts to righteous indignation, but these reactions are muddled by her feelings for Basem.
    Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 11 Apr. 2025
  • The book extends a rickety rope bridge between psychological shame—the I-must-bury-my-face kind that follows when one is caught being stupid, horny, or poor—and patriotic shame, which fells those in power with its righteous anger.
    Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 28 Mar. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Upright.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upright. Accessed 1 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on upright

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!