chalk up

verb

chalked up; chalking up; chalks up

transitive verb

1

: ascribe, credit

chalked up his failures to inexperience

2

: attain, achieve

chalk up another victory

Synonyms of chalk up

• attribute
• ascribe

Examples of chalk up in a Sentence

let's chalk up her weird behavior to simple nervousness

chalked up a record in singles tennis that is likely to stand for a long time

Recent Examples on the Web

Harbaugh chalked up McCarthy’s decision to Washington sending all-out pressure, which creates more favorable matchups downfield. — Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 13 Nov. 2026

Some of what the Judica-Cordiglia brothers were able to achieve could be chalked up to being in the right place at the right time. — Micah Hanks, Space.com, 10 Nov. 2026

Mainstream, moderate Democrats are increasingly challenged by the Democratic Socialists, who chalked up another astonishing win last Tuesday by claiming the mayor’s office in Los Angeles. — Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune, 9 Nov. 2026

But for his trouble, the president saw Hochul defeat Blakeman in his home county last night and Democrats chalk up unexpected wins in the county executive’s backyard. — Ken Girardin, Washington Post, 5 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1877, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for chalk up

• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup
• markup