Uphill

Part of speech: adjective, adverb

Pronunciation: /ˈʌphɪl/

Definitions

1. Involving an increase in difficulty or effort while being positioned higher in elevation or direction
2. Characterized by a challenging ascent and the necessity for more energy as one moves towards elevated terrain
3. Directed toward or located on a slope ascending to higher ground ; demanding increasing exertion or challenge to accomplish

Etymology: "Uphill" is about as transparent as English compounds get: it joins "up" and "hill," and the meaning follows directly from the parts, describing ground that rises toward the top. Its adverbial use, as in "they walked uphill," and its adjectival use, as in "an uphill climb," come from the same compound and differ only in grammatical role. The figurative sense, meaning difficult or requiring sustained effort, grows naturally from the physical one, since climbing a slope takes more effort than descending it. The word is a plain combination of two common Old English-derived words, so there is no borrowing story behind it, only the ordinary process by which English builds descriptive compounds from everyday nouns and directional particles.

Synonyms: ascending, steep, inclined, sloping, rising

Antonyms: downhill, declining, flat, level, descending