up to

preposition

1

—used as a function word to indicate extension as far as a specified place

sank up to his knees in the mud

2

—used as a function word to indicate a limit or boundary

up to 50,000 copies a month

worked up to the last minute

Examples of up to in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott (R-SC) has had a busy 10 months-plus advancing legislation, approving nominations, conducting oversight, and also chairing the National Republican Senatorial Committee in the lead-up to the 2026 midterm elections. —Zach Halaschak, The Washington Examiner, 17 Oct. 2025

The contamination affected water supplies and aquatic life for up to 400 kilometres (around 250 miles). —Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2025

Jones attempted to help his quarterback up to his feet before Rodgers quickly shoved him aside. —Paulina Dedaj, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2025

Stored in the right conditions, butternut squash should last for up to a few months. —Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 17 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for up to

• accrue
• ado
• ainu
• aircrew
• airscrew
• anew
• askew
• baboo
• babu
• bamboo
• beaucoup
• bijou

Kids Definition

up to

preposition

1

: as far as a named part or place

sank up to my hips

2

: in accordance with

the game was not up to our standards

3

a

: to the limit of

come in sizes up to 10

b

: as many or as much as

carry up to 10 tons

4

: until entry 1, till

from dawn up to dusk