stay up

phrasal verb

stayed up; staying up; stays up
: to continue to be awake past the time when one usually goes to bed
Don't stay up past your bedtime.
She stayed up to watch the late movie.

Examples of stay up in a Sentence

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.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 21 Jan. 2026 Griselda stayed up later, scrolling on her phone. Oriana Van Praag, New Yorker, 20 Jan. 2026 More celebrity beauty news: Now, watch Amanda Seyfried and Sydney Sweeney take the truth serum: Follow Allure on Instagram and TikTok, or subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date on all things beauty. Elizabeth Gulino, Allure, 14 Jan. 2026 Did everyone stay up a little bit too late watching the Golden Globes last night? Christina Perrier, InStyle, 12 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for stay up

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stay up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stay%20up. Accessed 25 Jan. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!