To upraise means to lift something up or raise it higher, especially with effort or ceremony. When protesters upraise their signs at a rally, they hold them high above their heads so everyone can see their message. When a conductor upraises the baton at the start of a symphony, that lifting gesture signals the musicians to begin.

The word carries a sense of deliberate elevation, often with purpose or significance. You might upraise your hand to volunteer for something important, or upraise a flag to honor a special occasion. In older texts, you'll sometimes see people upraising their voices in song or upraising their eyes toward the sky.

While “raise” and “lift” are more common today, upraise adds a feeling of formality or intensity to the action. It suggests raising something with intention, pride, or reverence: a deliberate act of lifting that carries meaning beyond the physical motion. When a crowd upraises their voices together in protest or celebration, they're uniting their voices in one powerful call that demands attention.