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

For the Coastal Flood Warning, up to 2 to 4 feet of inundation above ground level is possible in some areas near shorelines and tidal waterways resulting in an elevated threat of property damage around the times of high tide. —Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 11 Oct. 2025

If convicted of bank fraud or making false statements, the penalties could include up to 30 years in prison and $1 million in fines for each count, the DOJ says. —Deputy News Editor, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Oct. 2025

Ray-Ban Meta served as the second brand anchor this year, also with new technology; the next generation style comes with an extended battery life of up to eight hours, an ultra-wide 12MP camera that captures high quality 3K ultra-HD videos with precision and clarity. —Thomas Waller, Footwear News, 10 Oct. 2025

And there are equally dangerous, thuggish government figures out there up to no good as well. —Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 10 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