upload
/ˌʌpˈləʊd/ IELTSAcademic
verb
to send data, files, photos, or videos from your device to a computer system, website, or cloud storage. It is the opposite of download.
- Please upload the report before noon.
- I uploaded the photos to Google Drive.
- She uploads videos every Friday.
noun
a file, photo, video, or other data that has been sent to a website, server, or cloud storage.
- The upload is still in progress.
- Your upload finished successfully.
- We checked the upload for errors.
Adinary Nuance
Upload is about sending files or data from your device to a system. It is not the same as send, which is broader and can mean many kinds of communication. It is also the opposite of download, which means bringing data to your device. In everyday tech English, upload is the normal word for this action.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- tải lên
- Spanish
- subir
- Chinese
- 上传
- Japanese
- アップロードする
- Korean
- 업로드하다
Etymology
Upload was formed in English in the late 20th century from up + load. It grew with computers and the internet, where data moves from a device to a remote system.
Common phrases
upload a fileupload photosupload speedupload link
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is upload the opposite of download?
- Yes. Upload means send data out from your device. Download means bring data to your device.
- Can I say upload a document?
- Yes. That is very common in office, school, and website use.
- Is upload a formal word?
- It is neutral and very common in business, study, and everyday tech use.
- Can upload be a noun?
- Yes. You can say, 'The upload failed' or 'The upload is complete.'