kickup

1 of 2

noun

kick·​up ˈkik-ˌəp 

: a noisy quarrel : row

kick up

2 of 2

verb

kicked up; kicking up; kicks up

transitive verb

1

: to cause to rise upward

clouds of dust kicked up by passing cars

2

: to stir up : provoke

kick up a fuss

intransitive verb

: to give evidence of disorder

Synonyms of kickup

Noun

• altercation
• dispute
• quarrel
• controversy
• fight
• disagreement
• argument
• row
• misunderstanding
• battle royal
• brawl
• bicker

Examples of kickup in a Sentence

Noun

after their last kickup, they didn't speak to each other for a week

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Judges score the flips and spins, including pretzel-like shapes with skis splayed or crossed, before the skiers pull up at the last split second and slam skis-first into the landing area, kicking up a spray of snow. —ABC News, 16 Feb. 2026

Don't tail large vehicles closely - Trucks or buses can kick up a water spray that obstructs visibility. —Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 16 Feb. 2026

His backing musicians kick up dust, eschewing the post-rock pomp favored by his contemporary Chuck Johnson in favor of riverine structures that reflect the geologic time scale Walker wanted to capture here. —Daniel Bromfield, Pitchfork, 11 Feb. 2026

The President’s domestic policy agenda could kick up to 180,000 Marylanders off health care. —Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 11 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1793, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1756, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for kickup

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