workup

1 of 3

noun (1)

work·​up ˈwərk-ˌəp How to pronounce workup (audio)
: an intensive diagnostic study especially for medical purposes

work-up

2 of 3

noun (2)

: an unintended mark on a printed sheet caused by the rising of spacing material

work up

3 of 3

verb

worked up; working up; works up

transitive verb

1
: to stir up : rouse
2
: to produce by mental or physical work
worked up a comedy act
worked up a sweat in the gym

intransitive verb

: to rise gradually in intensity or emotional tone

Examples of workup in a Sentence

Verb spent years working up a period novel that was historically accurate in every detail
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The workup to make these diagnoses accurately is complicated and time-intensive. Jason Karlawish, STAT, 16 June 2023 There are several compelling technological solutions that can minimize misdiagnosis, reduce the time and effort of a workup, educate patients and families, and mitigate risks. Jason Karlawish, STAT, 16 June 2023 Eight hours later, he was carried out of the building on a blanket, finally breaking free of its walls, to get a full medical workup. Dan Musgrave, Longreads, 9 May 2023 Biologists performed a full workup on the bear, including collecting biological samples, taking various body measurements, attaching an ear tag, conducting a physical exam and fitting a GPS radio-collar around its neck, according to the NPS. Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 4 May 2023 How to get rid of nightmares Get a full-body workup. Alyssa Jung, Good Housekeeping, 19 June 2023 Instead, the process could result in a lot of worry for asymptomatic patients and force the patient and doctor to undergo more workups without yielding anything significant. Morgan Hines, USA TODAY, 3 May 2023 The puzzling intractability had triggered a soup-to-nuts workup: abdominal CAT scan, diagnostic testing for stool pathogens and a lab workup that measured everything but copper levels. Tony Dajer, Discover Magazine, 12 Nov. 2020 How many of the 20% of breast cancers are going to be in that one of five women who elect to not get the further workup? Julia Landwehr, Health, 17 Apr. 2023
Noun
Neurology was consulted and did an extensive work-up: blood tests, CT scans, an M.R.I., an EEG, a spinal tap. Lisa Sanders, M.d., New York Times, 7 Mar. 2024 According to Gounder, the next steps in James' work-up might include an MRI of the heart, rhythmic monitoring and possibly genetic testing to explore other potential causes before returning to training and play. Analisa Novak, CBS News, 26 July 2023 Some mental health professionals called for a cognitive work-up, citing lack of impulse control and other signs of decline. Dallas News, 16 Feb. 2023
Verb
Kelly's profile: Eastbound Strangler is ‘narcissist’ The Eastbound Strangler may not have a face, but Kelly worked up a personality profile based on the evidence. Chris Eberhart, Fox News, 9 Mar. 2024 Possible solutions could include deferring your auto loan payments temporarily or working up a new payment plan to temporarily reduce your payments. Susan Tompor, Detroit Free Press, 29 Feb. 2024 After serving in the Army Air Corps in occupied Japan during World War II, Post returned to the company and worked up the corporate ladder. Katherine Itoh, NBC News, 14 Feb. 2024 Flinging hatchets and paint are good ways to work up an appetite, eh? Linda Zavoral, The Mercury News, 22 Jan. 2024 The Georgia agency issued draft permits for the mining project Feb. 9, starting a 60-day period for public comments before regulators work up final permits for the agency’s director to approve. Russ Bynum, Quartz, 4 Mar. 2024 Duquesne worked up an 11-point lead with just under 10 minutes left, but a 9-2 run got the Flyers back in the game. Mitch Stacy, USA TODAY, 7 Feb. 2024 Food trucks are also on site, if your walking tour worked up an appetite. Melissa Oyler, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024 Though the music came together quickly for the star, working up the courage to share it with the world was another matter. Rachel Desantis, Peoplemag, 26 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'workup.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1939, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1903, in the meaning defined above

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of workup was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near workup

Cite this Entry

“Workup.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/workup. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

work up

verb
1
: to stir up
worked up support for the project
2
: to produce by mental or physical work
worked up a sweat at the gym

Medical Definition

workup

1 of 2 noun
work·​up ˈwər-ˌkəp How to pronounce workup (audio)
: an intensive diagnostic study
a gastrointestinal workup
a psychiatric workup

work up

2 of 2 transitive verb
: to perform a diagnostic workup upon
work up a patient
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!