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

Sophomore right fielder Rebecca Coffey, who will likely split starting pitching duties this season with Akins, chalked up a two-run single in the bottom of the sixth as the difference-maker for Hampshire. —Rick Armstrong, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026

Washington said Lebanon is not included in the ceasefire, and US Vice President JD Vance chalked up the hostilities to a misunderstanding. —J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 8 Apr. 2026

Anthony, who went 2 for 5 with two runs scored in the loss, said there isn’t an injury impacting his throwing, and Cora and Anthony chalked up it more to a mechanical issue gripping the baseball than anything else. —Greg Dudek, Boston Herald, 7 Apr. 2026

Rodriguez’s setbacks can be chalked up, in part, to bad luck. —Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 3 Apr. 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