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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 The now-viral video, with over 525,000 views, shows the 9-month-old pup, Kaiko, in a deeply vulnerable state—sleeping while sitting upright. Maria Morava, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025 Instead of lugging out an upright vacuum, use it to suck up small messes in tricky spots around the house and in the car. Isabel Garcia, People.com, 1 Sep. 2025 Emphasizing ruggedness and offering an open invitation to tackle dirt roads, the Bronco’s squared fenders, short overhangs, upright glass and knobby tires look more at home on mountain trails than valet lanes. Peter Lyon, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025 Many upright vacuums have nonretractable cords that can become tangled or damaged during use. Bestreviews, Mercury News, 29 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for upright
Recent Examples of Synonyms for upright
Adjective
  • That would be the honest, fair and honorable thing to do.
    U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Sep. 2025
  • This reversal deeply disrespects every honorable soldier who's had our Stars and Stripes draped over their casket as Taps play in the background.
    Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • But all friends need to be honest with each other, to tell each other home truths when it’s needed, to confront those awkward moments without fear of the reaction.
    Steve Sedgwick, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2025
  • But when those larger firms start to adopt similar habits—open forums, early interventions, honest check-ins—things change fast.
    Stephan Lendi, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Moving people up and down this vertical city requires 59 elevators, including five double-deck elevators capable of traveling, along with multiple escalators and sky lobbies.
    Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 11 Sep. 2025
  • The regression in the Dolphins’ vertical passing game, a problem for most of last season, continued in the opener.
    Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • In early August, the Daily Caller reported more ethical concerns.
    Kimberly Ross, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
  • The Boone and Crockett Club is a leading voice for ethical, legal, and restrained hunting in North America, and often recalls that managed, legal hunting is responsible for the return of depleted wildlife populations in America a century ago.
    Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • But all of that also was punctured in the last Super Bowl, when the Chiefs fell behind 34-0 before putting up some late points to make the final margin appear far more respectable than the game was.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Duke has at least been respectable for some time.
    Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Her son, Pax, 21, joined the audience in giving her a standing ovation following the film’s premiere.
    Eric Andersson, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
  • And scores of the world’s top auteurs came to compete with strong new titles — many of them instant Oscar contenders the moment the customary standing ovations wound down each night inside Venice’s Sala Grande cinema.
    Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Giving Wickham a nice holiday tan would be a bridge too far for the genteel world of Jane Austen.
    Alex Ritman, Variety, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Some decisions are prudent, such as the Las Vegas Raiders to defeat the New England Patriots at a nice underdog price.
    Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Fired from elite law firm Tinley Britt after an argument with his boss (John Slattery), Rudy barely pauses for breath before launching into righteous combat.
    Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Onscreen, Evans’s Mike Tyler instead takes a more self-destructive route — at times, equal parts hilarious and harrowing — preoccupied by his public image and being perceived as a righteous do-gooder.
    Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Upright.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upright. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on upright

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