Apon vs. Upon, what are the differences and definitions of these English words? Most people don’t know these, so I wrote this article to clear your doubts.
In this article, we will explain what they mean, the difference between upon and apon, and list some examples used in a sentence.
Let’s get right into it.
Table of Contents
What does Apon mean?
If the Apon is capitalized throughout, it may be an acronym for Applications Online, Association of Pediatric Oncology Nurses, ATM Passive Optical Network, Acquired Pit of the Optic Nerve, etc.
However, what does the word Apon mean? Apon is a preposition with the same meaning as upon but was used about 3 centuries ago in the Middle English Era.
You will likely find this word in historical writings, poems, and religious books. As we evolved, so did our languages. I am not a lover of history, but we have Old, Middle, and Modern English we use and speak today.
If I wrote this article in Middle or Old English, I am sure you will find it hard to read and understand unless you are a vampire. They are different eras of the English language.
Meaning of Upon
/əˈpɒn/
Upon is a more formal term for on, especially in abstract senses.
It is a combination of two English words, up and on. This word is a more formal preposition than on (they have the same meaning).
Differences between apon and upon
Apon was used about 300 years ago (Middle English) while upon is used today (Modern English.) That’s the significant difference between these two prepositions.
They mean the same thing. However, if you decide to use the word apon today, people will probably think you are a time traveler like Dr. Strange.
Apon used in Sentences
Here is a good example of Apon used in a poem:
Full derly to hym that ye pray
To hym that was don apon a tre
To safe yowr sallis on dowymysday
Qwen all salles savyd mon be.
Upon used in a sentence
Upon use in an English sentence? Below are some of the best examples you can find:
The president was escorted into his office upon arrival.
Once upon a time, there was a great country.
Upon arrival at work, she sent for the secretary.
The lion sprang upon the gazelle.
Great winds blow upon the mountains.
The cat jumped upon the bed.
The enemies were upon them, and they had no reconnaissance.
A good book is a best friend who never turns his back upon us.
The knight mounted upon his horse.
The man swore upon his honor to do the job.
When to use upon vs. apon
These words are prepositions and should only be used before noun phrases. When using this in writing or speaking, it is quite formal.
Upon should always be used in place of apon. In this battle of English prepositions, it is clear that upon is the champion. If you want to reduce the formality in your tone, you should use on as a substitute for apon or upon.
Upon arrival is better than apon arrival if you don’t want to sound like someone from 1200 CE. On a more serious note, if you want to sound less formal, you may want to use “on arrival.”
In this case, agreed upon is better than agreed apon. You may, however, think of using agreed on instead of any of the two.
Synonyms for upon
Above.
On.
Over.
Against.
At.
After.
I hope this article has cleared your doubts about these two English words (apon vs. upon). If you have questions or want to suggest, use the comment section below.
Sam is a brilliant young Nigerian biochemistry student and an aspiring entrepreneur. Despite facing many challenges, he has never lost his passion for learning and drive to make a difference in the world. Read more about him here.
