From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishupwardup‧ward /ˈʌpwəd $ -wərd/ ●○○ adjective [only before noun] 1 INCREASE IN NUMBER OR AMOUNTincreasing to a higher level OPP downwardupward trend/movement an upward trend in sales a sharp upward movement in property prices upward pressure on bank interest rates2 UPmoving or pointing towards a higher position OPP downward Stroke the cream onto your skin in an upward direction.
Examples from the Corpus
upward• an upward movement of the hand• an upward trend in gasoline pricesupward trend/movement• In all three areas, the numbers showed a steady upward trend.• Next week's unemployment figures are not expected to show any significant reversal in the recent upward trend.• Then, from 1957 to 1980, as the labor consultants appear, there is a steady upward trend.• Gently stroke the entire face with gentle upward movements as in Step 4. 14.• Linear and quadratic time trends were included to control for the upward trend in volume.• Though the usual variation is present the upward trend is continued.• A similar upward trend is evident in potential demand, with the increasing number of smaller households.• This would drag the underlying asthenosphere along and promote a compensatory upward movement within the mantle under mid-oceanic ridges. 