draw up

verb

drew up; drawn up; drawing up; draws up

transitive verb

1

: to bring (a body of troops) into array

2

: to prepare a draft or version of

draw up plans

3

: to bring to a halt

4

: to straighten (oneself) to an erect posture especially as an assertion of dignity or resentment

intransitive verb

: to come to a halt

the car drew up at the door

Synonyms of draw up

• stop
• halt
• catch
• stall
• pull up
• check
• stay

Examples of draw up in a Sentence

he drew up his horse outside the tavern

drew up the troops into a line along the ridge

Recent Examples on the Web

The democratic opposition has drawn up a plan to do this, with the goal of raising production to four million barrels a day. —John Cassidy, New Yorker, 4 Jan. 2026

The Pentagon has reportedly drawn up military plans for securing access to the Panama Canal. —Richard Fontaine, The Atlantic, 4 Jan. 2026

Slow Food International’s collaboration with Visit Sacramento drew up to 165,000 people to SAFE Convention Center for three days of insightful panels, food and drink tastings and live music. —Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 1 Jan. 2026

Remove from oven and draw up ends of foil to enclose peppers for 5 minutes. —Cathy Thomas, Oc Register, 29 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1608, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for draw up

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

Kids Definition

draw up

verb

1

: to arrange (as troops) in order

2

: to prepare a draft or version of

draw up plans

3

: to straighten (oneself) to an erect posture

drew himself up angrily and left the room

4

: to bring or come to a stop

the car drew up at the door