1 B1 neutral
To physically descend and rest upon a surface.
"A large crow landed upon the fence post and watched us with sharp eyes."
inseparable
land upon
B2 formal inseparable transitive
The slightly more formal or literary variant of 'land on'; to arrive at, settle on, or discover something.
In plain English
To arrive at, settle on, or find something — a more formal way to say 'land on'.
What does "land upon" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic formal
To arrive at or settle on an idea, decision, or solution.
"After much deliberation, the committee landed upon a compromise that satisfied all parties."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To descend and come to rest upon a surface — transparent.
Actually means
To arrive at, settle on, or find something — a more formal way to say 'land on'.
Usage tip
More common in written or literary English than in speech. Functionally equivalent to 'land on' but carries a slightly more elevated or old-fashioned tone. Also used literally for birds or aircraft alighting on a surface.
Words that pair with "land upon"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
solution idea answer surface topic plan
How to conjugate "land upon"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
land upon
I/you/we/they
3rd person
lands upon
he/she/it
Past simple
landed upon
yesterday
Past participle
landed upon
have + pp
-ing form
landing upon
continuous
Hear "land upon" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "land upon" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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