upbringing
B2Pronunciation
UK
- /ʌpbrˈɪŋɪŋ/
US
- /ˈəpˌbrɪŋɪŋ/
Description
- how someone was raised
- early home life
- family influence
- childhood environment
An upbringing is the way a person is raised during childhood. It includes the kind of home they grew up in, the values they were taught, and the experiences that shaped them early in life. Someone might talk about a strict, loving, happy, or difficult upbringing. When people mention a person's upbringing, they are often trying to explain that person's habits, beliefs, or way of seeing the world.
"Upbringing" refers to the process and experience of being raised during childhood. It includes family life, the rules and values a child learns, the care they receive, and the social setting around them. The word is used to talk about the early influences that help shape a person's character, beliefs, and behavior.
People often describe an upbringing with words like "strict," "loving," "stable," "religious," "privileged," or "difficult." These descriptions help show what kind of early life a person had. The term can be neutral, positive, or negative depending on the context. For example, someone might say, "She had a warm upbringing," or "He had a hard upbringing."
Although the word is closely linked to parents and family, it is not limited to them. School, community, culture, and everyday surroundings also play a part. That is why people may speak of "a rural upbringing" or "an urban upbringing" when the place and social setting matter.
The word is often used when people want to understand why someone thinks or acts in a certain way. In biographies, interviews, and everyday conversation, a person's upbringing may be mentioned to explain later choices, attitudes, or relationships. It can also be used to compare people, as in "He had a very different upbringing from his brother."
Overall, "upbringing" is a broad word for the early conditions and influences that help make a person who they are.
Examples
- 1
Childhood setting
She had a happy upbringing in a small seaside town.
- 2
Strict parenting
His strict upbringing made him nervous about speaking back to adults.
- 3
Religious family
Because of her religious upbringing, some family traditions are still important to her.
- 4
Family separation
The two brothers had very different upbringings after their parents divorced.
- 5
Parenting style
He wants to give his children a more relaxed upbringing than he had.
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- upbringingnoun