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

Several also criticized the way the plan was drawn up and executed. — Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 4 Sep. 2026

Connexus allows borrowers to draw up to 90% of their home’s value. — Kelsey Neubauer, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026

Palau’s turn as host also comes as the summit’s leaders try once more to draw up a structure governing how other countries are permitted involvement in its meetings. — ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026

Drawing up a bubble screen lateral from your own 25, and the trusting that the receiver A) stays behind the line of scrimmage, and then B) gets the ball down field enough to give his guy a chance is such a ballsy play to draw up. — Zach Dean Outkick, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026

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