upon
gb/əpˈɑn/ us/əpˈɑn/
B2
English
~ 500
-kor, közvetlenül, amint, követően, -on/-en/-ön/-n, függ, alapul, múlik
B2
FORMAL
1
Usage pattern:
upon [noun/gerund]
Upon arrival at the hotel, we checked in immediately.
A szállodába érkezéskor azonnal bejelentkeztünk.
The contract will be effective upon signature by both parties.
A szerződés mindkét fél aláírásával lép hatályba.
Upon hearing the news, she burst into tears.
The lights came on upon entering the room.
Learner examples
Upon arrival, we went to our room.
Megérkezéskor a szobánkba mentünk.
You must pay upon delivery.
Átvételkor kell fizetned.
He left upon hearing the bell.
We started work upon reaching the office.
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse 'upon' with 'on' in temporal contexts; 'upon' is more formal and often used in writing.
Meaning
immediately after something happens
Collocations
upon arrival
|upon completion
|upon request
|upon entering
Synonyms
immediately after (More explicit and less formal than 'upon')
Antonyms
before (Indicates the opposite sequence in time)
Themes
time
|sequence
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Used to mean right after something happens.
Used to show that something happens directly after another event or action.
B2
FORMAL
2
Usage pattern:
upon [noun]
The book lay upon the table.
A könyv az asztalon hevert.
Snow had settled upon the rooftops.
Hó ült meg a háztetőkön.
He placed his hand gently upon her shoulder.
Learner examples
The cat sat upon the chair.
A macska a széken ült.
A glass was upon the desk.
Egy pohár volt az íróasztalon.
Leaves fell upon the ground.
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse 'upon' instead of 'on' in everyday speech; 'upon' can sound overly formal in casual contexts.
Meaning
on top of something
Collocations
rest upon
|sit upon
|stand upon
Synonyms
on ('On' is more common and less formal)
Antonyms
under (Indicates a position below a surface)
Themes
space
|location
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Used to mean that something is on top of something else.
Used to indicate that something is physically on or supported by something else.
B2
FORMAL
3
Usage pattern:
upon [noun/gerund]
Success depends upon hard work.
A siker a kemény munkán múlik.
The decision is based upon careful research.
A döntés alapos kutatáson alapul.
We rely upon your support to continue.
Learner examples
We depend upon good weather for the trip.
A kirándulásunk a jó időtől függ.
Her success is based upon skill.
A sikere a hozzáértésén alapul.
They rely upon friends for help.
Common mistake:
Learners may use 'upon' in casual speech where 'on' is more natural; 'upon' often appears in formal writing.
Meaning
depending or relying on something
Collocations
depend upon
|rely upon
|based upon
Synonyms
on ('On' is more common in modern informal use)
Antonyms
independent of (Indicates lack of dependence)
Themes
cause_effect
|conditions
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Used to mean that something depends on or is affected by something else.
Used to express that something is dependent on or influenced by something else.
Grammar
Dictionary form
upon
IPA
GB/əpˈɑn/
US/əpˈɑn/
Syllables & stress
upon (1 syllable)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: upon
- Plural: upons
Word family
Expressions
act upon
1/ˈækt əpˈɑn/
phrasal verb
formal
take action based on advice/info
To do something because of information, advice, or orders you have received.
Examples
- The police acted upon the tip-off immediately.
- We should act upon her suggestions to improve our service.
call upon
1/kˈɔl əpˈɑn/
phrasal verb
formal
formally ask someone to act
To ask someone to do something in a formal way.
Examples
- The chairman called upon the members to vote.
- We call upon all citizens to help those in need.
come upon
1/kˈʌm əpˈɑn/
phrasal verb
find unexpectedly
To find or see something by chance.
Examples
- We came upon an old house in the woods.
- While cleaning, I came upon some forgotten letters.
look upon
1/lˈʊk əpˈɑn/
phrasal verb
formal
regard or consider as
To think of someone or something in a certain way.
Examples
- They looked upon him as a hero.
- She looks upon her colleagues as family.
once upon a time
1/wˈʌns əpˈɑn ə tˈaɪm/
fixed phrase
literary
Traditional story beginning phrase
A phrase used at the start of old stories to mean 'a long time ago'.
Examples
- Once upon a time, there was a small village by the sea.
- Once upon a time, there was a little princess who loved to sing.
- Once upon a time, a brave knight lived in a faraway land.
- Once upon a time, people traveled by horse and carriage.