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Definition of upscale

upscale

/ˈʌp.skeɪl/
up · scale

Past Simple:upscaled
•
Past Participle:upscaled
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Present Participle:upscaling
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upscale Lexical Profile

upscale Game Scores & Validity

• adjective

1

North American Relating to, designed for, or appealing to high-income consumers; luxurious, prestigious, or high-end.

Example

"The historic district has recently been revitalized with upscale boutiques and fine dining restaurants."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• verb

1

To increase the size, scope, production capacity, or quality of a product, service, or operation.

Example

"Following the successful pilot program, the company plans to upscale manufacturing across three regional plants."


2

To convert a digital image or video signal from a lower resolution to a higher resolution.

Example

"Modern televisions use artificial intelligence algorithms to upscale standard-definition broadcasts to near-4K clarity."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in mid-20th-century American marketing and demographic research from 'up' and 'scale', originally referring to the upper end of a socioeconomic income scale.

Cite this Entry


Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Upscale. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/upscale
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