put up

verb

put up; putting up; puts up

transitive verb

1

a

: to place in a container or receptacle

put his lunch up in a bag

b

: to put away (a sword) in a scabbard : sheathe

c

: to prepare so as to preserve for later use : can

d

: to put in storage

2

: to start (game animals) from cover

3

: to nominate for election

4

: to offer up (something, such as a prayer)

5

: set sense 16

6

: to make available

especially : to offer for public sale

put their possessions up for auction

7

: to give food and shelter to : accommodate

8

: to arrange (a plot, a scheme, etc.) with others

put up a job to steal the jewels

9

: build, erect

10

a

: to make a display of

put up a brave front

b

: to engage in

put up a struggle

11

a

: contribute, pay

put up bail money

b

: to offer as a prize or stake

12

chiefly British : to increase the amount of : raise

13

: to succeed in producing or achieving

an athlete who has put up big numbers

also : score sense 4a(1)

put up 20 points

intransitive verb

1

: lodge

2

: to take direct action

—used in the phrase put up or shut up

see also:

put one up to put up with

Synonyms of put up

• erect
• raise
• set up

Examples of put up in a Sentence

the builders put up the walls before starting on the roof

plans to put up a pavilion in the public gardens

Recent Examples on the Web

The new piece by local artist Olive Moya will replace the existing mural of the late artist Clyfford Still, which was put up in 2011 to advertise the opening of the Clyfford Still Museum in the Golden Triangle. —Thomas Gounley, Denver Post, 9 June 2026

After his arrest, images of İmamoğlu — on billboards placed on highways and in subway stations, and on posters put up on the sides of construction sites and buildings — remained in the city for a few weeks. —Kaya Genç, The Dial, 9 June 2026

The push to put up more plate readers has come amid calls for greater transparency around the Los Angeles Police Department’s dealings with Flock. —Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2026

Some high-profile couples will even put up a decoy tent in a separate location from the actual wedding to throw photographers off the scent. —Alli Rosenbloom, CNN Money, 9 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

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

Rhymes for put up

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

Kids Definition

put up

verb

1

a

: to prepare for later use

put up a lunch

especially : can entry 3 sense 1

put up peaches

b

: to put away out of use

put up your sword

2

a

: to nominate for election

b

: to offer for public sale

put their possessions up for auction

3

: to give or obtain food and shelter : lodge

put us up overnight

4

: build entry 1 sense 1, erect

5

: carry on sense 2

put up a struggle

6

: to make available

put up a prize for the best essay