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
Landlords and developers have said a freeze would affect their ability to pay for building upkeep and investment in new housing.
—
Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 31 Dec. 2025
Regular inspections and winter preparations keep us ready, but even the best upkeep can’t prevent surprises.
—Alison Mathes, Denver Post, 30 Dec. 2025
The disaster exposed the consequences of neglect and fragmented responsibility for levee upkeep.
—Farshid Vahedifard, The Conversation, 29 Dec. 2025
What upkeep does the bath mat require?
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 24 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for upkeep
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Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 31 Dec. 2025
Regular inspections and winter preparations keep us ready, but even the best upkeep can’t prevent surprises.
—Alison Mathes, Denver Post, 30 Dec. 2025
The disaster exposed the consequences of neglect and fragmented responsibility for levee upkeep.
—Farshid Vahedifard, The Conversation, 29 Dec. 2025
What upkeep does the bath mat require?
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 24 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for upkeep
Cite this Entry
“Upkeep.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upkeep. Accessed 7 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
upkeep
noun
up·keep
ˈəp-ˌkēp 
: the act or cost of maintaining in good condition : maintenance
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