workup

noun work·up \ ˈwərk-ˌəp \

Updated on: 17 May 2018

Definition of workup

: an intensive diagnostic study especially for medical purposes

Recent Examples of workup from the Web

Don did all the psychological workup for gender reassignment during that time, working out of our house.

— roberta brown, Vogue, "Why I Left My Life as a Nun and Became a Sex Therapist," 2 May 2018
In reality, only about 20 percent are, although 15 years ago 40 percent of hip fracture patients got this kind of workup.

— claudia wallis, Scientific American, "Osteoporosis: An Avoidable Crisis," 13 Mar. 2018
While these kinds of examples are dramatic, the reality is that most kids don’t need an extremely-rapid genetic workup.

— paul sisson, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Rady Children's Institute sets Guinness world record," 12 Feb. 2018
People with these kinds of symptoms, Waxman said, need to come in for an immediate workup, even if most will not turn out to be heart attacks.

— paul sisson, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Meals on Wheels tests high-tech health checks for seniors," 1 Sep. 2017
Specialists performed nerve conduction tests, full blood workups, exams to check muscle function, a CT of the head, an MRI of the spine, a sonogram of the heart.

— Bloomberg.com, "U.S. Tourists Wonder If Cuba Attacks Hit Them, Too," 20 Oct. 2017
Even if a full workup in the emergency department, complete with electrocardiogram, shows there is no heart attack happening, doctors know that vague chest pain is often reported hours or even days before a heart attack.

— paul sisson, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Meals on Wheels tests high-tech health checks for seniors," 1 Sep. 2017
Specialists performed nerve conduction tests, full blood workups, exams to check muscle function, a CT of the head, an MRI of the spine, a sonogram of the heart.

— Bloomberg.com, "U.S. Tourists Wonder If Cuba Attacks Hit Them, Too," 20 Oct. 2017
Specialists performed nerve conduction tests, full blood workups, exams to check muscle function, a CT of the head, an MRI of the spine, a sonogram of the heart.

— Bloomberg.com, "U.S. Tourists Wonder If Cuba Attacks Hit Them, Too," 20 Oct. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'workup.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of workup

1939

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

work-up

noun \ ˈwərk-ˌəp \

Definition of work-up

: an unintended mark on a printed sheet caused by the rising of spacing material

First Known Use of work-up

1903

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

work up

verb

Definition of work up

transitive verb

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

intransitive verb

: to rise gradually in intensity or emotional tone

See work up defined for kids

Examples of work up in a Sentence

spent years working up a period novel that was historically accurate in every detail

Recent Examples of work up from the Web

All the show’s chief characters are young, so the music works up a theme of youthful hope.

— josephine livingstone, The New Republic, "Something Is Damp in the State of Denmark," 11 May 2018
Tetanus shots and a psychologist are available at the site for those who want to put on a mask and scrubs to observe the exhumation work up close.

— aaron nelsen, San Antonio Express-News, "Tamaulipas begins first-of-its-kind exhumation of drug war victims," 7 May 2018
But why would Hashmi, a senior from Alamo Heights, Texas, be so worked up that Tiger Woods committed to play in this weekend’s Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow Club?

— brendan marks, charlotteobserver, "Play 18 holes with Tiger Woods? Sounds like a dream — this teenager got to live it. | Charlotte Observer," 2 May 2018
The OGs who were blessed with the Machinists and 1990 can still get worked up over the Reds failings.

— paul daugherty, Cincinnati.com, "Paul Daugherty: If you're 27 or younger, how do you rate Cincinnati's sports scene?," 1 May 2018
In California, the state is allowed to rehire an individual who has retired from state civil service to work up to 960 hours in a fiscal year, or 24 weeks, without losing his or her CalPERS retirement benefit.

— marjie lundstrom, sacbee, "Sexual harassment settlement didn’t stop these retired California state workers from coming back | The Sacramento Bee," 19 Apr. 2018
But stepping into the shoes of Jonestown Massacre figure Jim Jones was the hardest to work up to.

— yvonne villarreal, latimes.com, "Playing a new character — or multiple characters — every season keeps Evan Peters of 'American Horror Story' on his toes," 23 Mar. 2018
Raise a burr with the first stone and then work up to a finer stone to remove those scratches, just like using sandpaper.

— josh donald, Popular Mechanics, "The Right Way to Sharpen Kitchen Knives," 17 Nov. 2017
The central bank is going to allow a small but rising number of bonds to roll off every month, eventually working up to letting $50 billion in bonds mature every month without reinvestment.

— nick timiraos, WSJ, "As Fed Sets to Unwind, How Far Should It Go?," 18 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'work up.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.