upstairs

On or towards a higher floor of a building.

• My room is upstairs.
• She went upstairs to bed.
• Can you carry this box upstairs?

Opposites: downstairs

Common phrases: go upstairs, sleep upstairs, carry something upstairs

In someone’s mind, especially when talking about their intelligence or mental health.

• He has plenty going on upstairs.
• She is clever; there is nothing wrong upstairs.
• During the exam, I felt as if nothing was happening upstairs.

Similar words: mentally

Common phrases: nothing going upstairs, something wrong upstairs, busy upstairs

On a higher floor of a building.

• The upstairs bathroom is small.
• Our upstairs neighbours are very quiet.
• She opened the upstairs window.

Opposites: downstairs

Common phrases: upstairs bedroom, upstairs bathroom, upstairs window

Describing a baseball thrown high, usually above the area where a hit counts as a strike.

• That fastball was upstairs.
• The upstairs pitch passed above the strike zone.
• The batter ignored another upstairs fastball.

Similar words: high

Opposites: low

Common phrases: an upstairs fastball, an upstairs pitch, another upstairs pitch

On the higher floor of a building, or moving to that floor.

• Let us head upstairs.
• The bedroom is upstairs from the kitchen.
• We went upstairs from the hall to the bedrooms.

How to use it: upstairs from something (Her office is upstairs from the shop.)

Opposites: downstairs

Common phrases: head upstairs, upstairs from something, go upstairs

The upper floor or floors of a building.

• The upstairs needs painting.
• We rented out the whole upstairs.
• The upstairs of the house has three bedrooms.

Similar words: upper floor

Opposites: downstairs

Common phrases: the whole upstairs, renovate the upstairs, the upstairs of