: an intensive diagnostic study especially for medical purposes
: an unintended mark on a printed sheet caused by the rising of spacing material
worked up; working up; works up
1
: to stir up : rouse
2
: to produce by mental or physical work
worked up a comedy act
worked up a sweat in the gym
: to rise gradually in intensity or emotional tone
Examples of workup in a Sentence
Verb
spent years working up a period novel that was historically accurate in every detail
Recent Examples on the Web
Jill Grimes, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2025
Assuming that a medical workup has been pursued and that the results were all normal, behavioral urine marking is the likely cause, but thankfully, there are ways to help eliminate this annoying habit.
—Dr. Devon B. Smith, Baltimore Sun, 20 Feb. 2025
Thomas Westerholm, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 May 2025
But around 1,700 of those 5,800 troops went absent without leave from the brigade at some point during its nine-month work-up.
—David Axe, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025
Esther Zuckerman, Vulture, 8 Aug. 2025
After working up an appetite hiking or paddling around Lake Logan, head to Grateful Table Cafe & Provisions.
—Lydia Mansel, Southern Living, 26 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for workup
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Noun
When a student comes in concerned about a genital rash, blisters, discharge or pain with urination, STI testing is part of the workup.
—Jill Grimes, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2025
Assuming that a medical workup has been pursued and that the results were all normal, behavioral urine marking is the likely cause, but thankfully, there are ways to help eliminate this annoying habit.
—Dr. Devon B. Smith, Baltimore Sun, 20 Feb. 2025
Noun
It should be used as part of a broader diagnostic work-up that includes clinical evaluation and possibly additional imaging.
—Thomas Westerholm, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 May 2025
But around 1,700 of those 5,800 troops went absent without leave from the brigade at some point during its nine-month work-up.
—David Axe, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025
Verb
But he really gets worked up by the concept of Anna in Tess’s body with a pixie cut and a low-cut dress.
—Esther Zuckerman, Vulture, 8 Aug. 2025
After working up an appetite hiking or paddling around Lake Logan, head to Grateful Table Cafe & Provisions.
—Lydia Mansel, Southern Living, 26 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for workup
Cite this Entry
“Workup.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/workup. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
workup
1 of 2 noun
work·up
ˈwər-ˌkəp 
: an intensive diagnostic study
a gastrointestinal workup
a psychiatric workup
work up
2 of 2 transitive verb
: to perform a diagnostic workup upon
work up a patient
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