show up

verb

showed up; shown up or showed up; showing up; shows up

transitive verb

1

: to expose or discredit especially by revealing faults

showed them up as frauds

… it showed him up for the irrelevant and offensive person he really is …

—Owen Bennett

2

: to embarrass or cause to look bad especially by comparison

trying to show up the boss

The offensive line has been sub par with the defensive line showing them up for at least a few days.

—James Anderson

3

: reveal

showed up my ignorance

intransitive verb

1

a

: arrive, appear

showed up late for his own wedding

Hundreds of tourists showed up, wearing bright sweaters, even though it was warm.

—Tony Earley

b

: to become involved with others and make an active contribution

But what we have to remind ourselves, and each other, is that our democracy only works for us if we show up.

—America Ferrera

also : to provide help and support for someone

If you're in a position to defend and protect someone who is a victim of abuse, then do it … Show up for them.

—Sa'iyda Shabazz

2

: to be plainly evident

… [Woody Hayes] cared so much about people. That showed up in the way he did things in the community, the way he lent his name to charity events.

—Kyle Rowland

Synonyms of show up

• appear
• show
• unfold
• come

Examples of show up in a Sentence

normally, one doesn't see them, but the actress's wrinkles show up in the close-ups

the band showed up an hour late

Recent Examples on the Web

That shift is showing up in local businesses such as Rebel Sports, where the usual spring break demand for skis and snowboards has been replaced by bikes. —Spencer Wilson, CBS News, 24 Mar. 2026

Anyone who showed up after that was told the wait would be about an hour. —Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 24 Mar. 2026

Ronnie Moyers heard the bird hammering in the woods one morning in late February, several weeks before the species usually shows up in Virginia’s western highlands. —Sarah Kaplan, Washington Post, 23 Mar. 2026

Shade’s journey to 1,000 is less decorated than either of her superstar teammates, but her path has been one of quiet consistency and showing up every time the Huskies need her. —Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 23 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1812, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for show up

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

Kids Definition

show up

verb

1

: to reveal the true nature of by uncovering faults : expose

were shown up for the fools they really are

2

: to be where one is expected to be : arrive

showed up on time

Legal Definition

showup

noun

show·​up

ˈshō-ˌəp

: a presentation of a criminal defendant or arrestee individually to a witness for identification compare lineup

Note: A showup identification may withstand a due process challenge when there is an emergency situation, when the presentation is accidental, or when otherwise the totality of the circumstances render it justifiable.