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

Keller Williams has drawn up a rendering and cost estimate for a pool to sit in the natural landscape. — David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 27 June 2026

But the real test now is drawing up an equivalent blueprint for Bangladesh, where Epic Group still remains deeply entrenched. — Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 25 June 2026

That Skubal return is in line with what Jim Bowden drew up for a Dodgers-Tigers deal. — Stephen J. Nesbitt, New York Times, 24 June 2026

When a home is bought or sold, a deed is legally drawn up to reflect the transfer of ownership. — Donovan McCarty, The Conversation, 22 June 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