upstate

1 of 2

noun (1)

up·​state ˈəp-ˌstāt How to pronounce upstate (audio)
: the chiefly northerly sections of a state
also : the chiefly rural part of a state when the major metropolitan area is in the south
upstate
ˈəp-ˈstāt How to pronounce upstate (audio)
adverb or adjective
upstater
ˈəp-ˈstā-tər How to pronounce upstate (audio)
noun

upstater

2 of 2

noun (2)

up·​stat·​er
plural -s
: an inhabitant or a native of an upstate region

Examples of upstate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
Goetz was born in Queens to middle-class parents and raised on a farm upstate. — Kevin Lozano, Harpers Magazine, 2 June 2026 Owen had travelled from upstate, and talked about Nauman visiting him. — Thessaly La Force, New Yorker, 29 June 2026 Pic follows two estranged sisters who attempt to rob a secluded home in rural upstate New York. — Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 25 June 2026 Helen and the kids fled for upstate in their station wagon, while Mango and the family cat, Puss Puss, stayed behind. — Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 10 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for upstate

Word History

Etymology

and Noun (2)

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1901, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of upstate was in 1901

Rhymes for upstate

See All Rhymes for upstate

Browse Nearby Words

upstart
upstate
upstater
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Upstate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upstate. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

upstate

adjective
up·​state ˈəp-ˌstāt How to pronounce upstate (audio)
: of, relating to, or typical of a part of a state away from a large city and especially to the north
upstate noun or adverb
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!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All