The upper part; the top.
"The upward slope of the hill offered a clear view of the valley below."
Directed toward a higher place.
"The climber looked upward as he reached for the next hold on the steep cliff face."
In plain English: Upward means moving toward something higher, going up instead of down.
"The upward trend in temperatures is expected to continue through the summer."
In a direction from lower to higher; toward a higher place; in a course toward the source or origin
"The smoke drifted upward from the chimney into the clear night sky."
In plain English: Upward means moving toward something higher, such as going up stairs or looking at the sky.
"The prices have gone upward this year."
Usage: Use upward as an adverb before verbs of motion, such as "climb" or "look," rather than placing it after them like you would with many other directional words. It specifically describes movement from a lower position to a higher one, distinguishing itself from synonyms that might imply general progress without vertical change.
The word upward comes from Old English upweardes, which combined the element meaning "on high" with a suffix indicating direction or position toward something. It entered modern usage as an adverb and adjective describing movement or orientation in that specific direction.