Meanings
plural upshots
- The final result, or outcome of something.
Many of our correspondents participated in the discussion, and the upshot was that the alleged record was discredited.
1944 July and August, Charles E. Lee, “The "City of Truro"”, in Railway Magazine, page 2023 more examples
Whatever might be the details of the proposition, that, he conceived, to be the result, or, in vulgar language, the upshot of it.
1818 April 20, The Parliamentary Debates: During the Sixth Session of the Fifth Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, appointed to meet at Westminster, the Twenty-seventh Day of January 1818, in the Fifty-eighth Year of the Reign of His Majesty King GEORGE the Third, Thomas Curson Hansard, page 224I have no skill of fancy to tell of that dark collogue, but the upshot was that Alison swore by her lost soul and the pride of sin to bring the lass into thrall to her master.
1902, John Buchan, The Outgoing of the TideIt was a snapshot of the finishing ability that makes Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang a world-class performer and, for Arsenal and Mikel Arteta, the upshot was glorious.
2020 August 1, David Hytner, “Aubameyang at the double as Arsenal turn tables on Chelsea to win FA Cup”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 12 Dec 2020Synonyms: bottom line, conclusion, consequence
- USA concise summary.
I'm not interested in hearing all the details. Just give me the upshot.
Synonyms: bottom line, digest, the long and short
- USA positive aspect or consequence, often either unexpected or in contrast to other negative aspects.
One of the major upshots of prefab building is its decreased environmental impact.
Synonyms: upside, silver lining
Synonyms & antonyms
nounThe final result, or outcome of something.
nounA concise summary.
nounA positive aspect or consequence, often either unexpected or in contrast to other negative aspects.
More synonyms by meaning
nouna phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
Presumed from up- + shot, referring to the last shot in a match of archery.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian развръзка, краен резултат
- развръзка (razvrăzka)final result, or outcome of something
- краен резултат (kraen rezultat)final result, or outcome of something
- резюме (rezjume)concise summary
Dutch eindresultaat, essentie
- eindresultaatfinal result, or outcome of something
- essentieconcise summary
- korte samenvattingconcise summary
French essentiel
- essentielconcise summary
German Ergebnis, Endergebnis
- Ergebnisfinal result, or outcome of something
- Endergebnisfinal result, or outcome of something
- Schlussergebnisfinal result, or outcome of something
- Schlussresultatfinal result, or outcome of something
- Endresultatfinal result, or outcome of something
- Fazitconcise summary
- Resümeeconcise summary
- Zusammenfassungconcise summary
Māori putanga, whakataunga
- putangafinal result, or outcome of something
- whakataungafinal result, or outcome of something
- huafinal result, or outcome of something
- tukunga ihofinal result, or outcome of something
Polish rezultat, wynik
- rezultatfinal result, or outcome of something
- wynikfinal result, or outcome of something
- skutekfinal result, or outcome of something
- koniecfinal result, or outcome of something
- podsumowanieconcise summary
Russian вывод, заключение
- вывод (vyvod)final result, or outcome of something
- заключение (zaključenije)concise summary
Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
upshot. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/upshot
“upshot.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/upshot. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “upshot,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/upshot.
Source: upshot on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.