1
: the act of maintaining in good condition : the state of being maintained in good condition
2
: the cost of maintaining in good condition
Examples of upkeep in a Sentence
Who is responsible for the upkeep of these buildings?
Once your car gets that old, the cost of upkeep can get very expensive.
The yard requires very little upkeep.
We sold our horse because we could no longer afford its upkeep.
Recent Examples on the Web
Skip basic upkeep, and even minor issues can escalate into costly repairs.
—
Danny Smith, USA Today, 29 May 2026
The gas tax was based on the premise that the people who use highways the most should pay the most for their upkeep.
—Camila Domonoske, NPR, 28 May 2026
This tends to be the best rhythm for maintenance and upkeep.
—Morgan Fargo, Vogue, 27 May 2026
Pools also narrow your buyer pool significantly, especially families with young children or buyers in colder climates who won’t use them enough to justify the upkeep.
—Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 26 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for upkeep
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.
Danny Smith, USA Today, 29 May 2026
The gas tax was based on the premise that the people who use highways the most should pay the most for their upkeep.
—Camila Domonoske, NPR, 28 May 2026
This tends to be the best rhythm for maintenance and upkeep.
—Morgan Fargo, Vogue, 27 May 2026
Pools also narrow your buyer pool significantly, especially families with young children or buyers in colder climates who won’t use them enough to justify the upkeep.
—Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 26 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for upkeep
Cite this Entry
“Upkeep.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upkeep. Accessed 2 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
upkeep
noun
up·keep
ˈəp-ˌkēp 
: the act or cost of maintaining in good condition : maintenance
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
