keep up

verb

kept up; keeping up; keeps up

transitive verb

: to persist or persevere in

kept up the good work

also : maintain, sustain

keep standards up

intransitive verb

1

: to keep adequately informed or up-to-date

keep up on international affairs

2

: to continue without interruption

rain kept up all night

3

: to maintain contact or relations with someone

keep up with old friends

Synonyms of keep up

• survive
• last
• prevail

Examples of keep up in a Sentence

let's hope that old air conditioner keeps up through this heat wave

kept the house up while the owners were gone

Recent Examples on the Web

Clean up dog poop promptly; keep up with veterinary care and parasite prevention; and clean the bowls, bedding, crates, and toys of a pet being treated for giardia. — Angela Haupt, Time, 12 Aug. 2026

Every major enterprise today is investing in AI governance, yet employees are adopting AI faster than governance programs can keep up. — Luiz Domingos, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026

KimberlyDeprey/Getty Images Credit card balances are moving higher again, adding to the financial pressure on borrowers at a time when many are already struggling to keep up with their bills. — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026

Liriano said he was focused on supporting responsible growth by ensuring infrastructure keeps up with the pace of development. — James Wilkins, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for keep up

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

Kids Definition

keep up

verb

1

: maintain sense 1

keep standards up

2

: to stay well informed about something

keep up on the news

3

: to continue without interruption

rain kept up all night

4

: to stay even with others (as in a race)