getup

1 of 2

noun

get·​up ˈget-ˌəp How to pronounce getup (audio)
1
2
: general composition or structure

get up

2 of 2

verb

got up; got up or gotten up; getting up; gets up

intransitive verb

1
a
: to arise from bed
b
: to rise to one's feet
c
2
: to go ahead or faster
used in the imperative as a command especially to driven animals

transitive verb

1
: to make preparations for : organize
got up a party for the newcomers
2
: to arrange as to external appearance : dress
3
: to acquire a knowledge of
4
: to create in oneself
cannot get up the courage to tell them

Examples of getup in a Sentence

Noun He came onstage in a cowboy getup. a guy in a crazy getup Verb you need to get right up when the alarm goes off in the morning all got up in her Sunday best
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Regretfully, my brother—probably the only person who might’ve been able to look past my cowboy getup and glue-on horseshoe moustache and ghastly wax-like exterior—was being punished at home for stealing cigarettes. Hazlitt, 18 June 2025 Although elbow room is a precious commodity in the middle of the Pit, Small had no regrets about his oversized getup. Shari Rudavsky, IndyStar, 2 July 2025
Verb
Dad had to get up early the next morning to run a business, while the rest of them slept in. Nancy Walecki, The Atlantic, 7 Aug. 2025 Learn About The Sea At The Florida Oceanographic Coastal Center This 57-acre marine life nature center is the perfect place for the entire family to get up close and personal with underwater friends. Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 6 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for getup

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1842, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of getup was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Getup.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/getup. Accessed 14 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

getup

1 of 2 noun
get·​up ˈget-ˌəp How to pronounce getup (audio)

get up

2 of 2 verb
get-ˈəp,
git-
1
a
: to arise from bed
b
: to rise to one's feet
2
: prepare sense 2, organize
get up a petition
3
: to produce in oneself by effort
get up the courage
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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