upstream

[uhp-streem] / ˈʌpˈstrim /

ADJECTIVE

difficult

Synonyms

STRONGEST

ambitious arduous burdensome challenging crucial demanding laborious onerous painful problematic severe strenuous tough troublesome

WEAK

backbreaker bothersome difficile easier said than done effortful exacting formidable galling gargantuan hard-won heavy herculean immense intricate irritating labored no picnic not easy operose problem prohibitive rigid stiff titanic toilsome trying unyielding uphill wearisome

Antonyms

STRONGEST

easy effortless facile helpful nice trivial

WEAK

calm free friendly manageable plain simple sociable straightforward uncomplicated

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

upstream

Without oversight of the land, protecting the chi has been an upstream battle.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026

Last year’s flood began when water abruptly poured out of a glacial lake 20 miles upstream from Nepal’s border with China.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026

Nepal and India share one river system, with one country upstream and the other downstream.

From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026

Sustained prices could improve upstream project economics, encourage higher development spending, while greater cash-flow visibility may prompt operators to resume deferred brownfield and asset-integrity work, he says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026

We walked upstream together until he found his shoes.

From "Mississippi Trial, 1955" by Chris Crowe

upstream

Example Sentences

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