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up to
preposition
1
—used as a function word to indicate extension as far as a specified place
sank up to his knees in the mud
2
—used as a function word to indicate a limit or boundary
up to 50,000 copies a month
worked up to the last minute
Examples of up to in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Bloom kept intact the jury’s guilty verdicts on four counts of wire fraud, which carried up to 20 years in prison for each offense.
—
Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 8 June 2024
The invasive species can have up to a 4-inch leg span and possess venom in their fangs.
—
Skyler Caruso, Peoplemag, 7 June 2024
The unemployment rate ticked up to 4%, reaching that level for the first time since January 2022.
—
Max Zahn, ABC News, 7 June 2024
Although the slide handles up to 350 pounds, the manufacturer recommends that only kids up to age 10 use it and that each child should be under 5 feet tall and 116 pounds or less.
—
Chauntel Brusie, Parents, 7 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for up to ![](/dist-cross-dungarees/2024-06-18--15-05-18-89r07/images/svg/redesign/arrow-right-exemplar.svg)
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'up to.' 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
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of up to was
in the 13th century
Dictionary Entries Near up to
Cite this Entry
“Up to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/up%20to. Accessed 18 Jun. 2024.
Kids Definition
up to
preposition1
: as far as a named part or place
sank up to my hips
2
: in accordance with
the game was not up to our standards
3
a
: to the limit of
come in sizes up to 10
b
: as many or as much as
carry up to 10 tons
4
: until entry 1, till
from dawn up to dusk
More from Merriam-Webster on up to
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for up to
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