1
as in attributing
to explain (something) as being the result of something else
let's chalk up her weird behavior to simple nervousness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in achieving
to obtain (as a goal) through effort
chalked up a record in singles tennis that is likely to stand for a long time
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of chalking up
Others have watched more of the club’s other junior teams, including the under-21s, chalking up first-time stadium visits at Solihull Moors, Brackley Town or Tamworth in the National League Cup.
—
Andy Mitten, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2026
Andy Mitten, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chalking up
Verb
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The Only Murders in the Building star previously addressed speculation about changes in her appearance and mannerisms, attributing the differences to her ongoing battle with lupus and her bipolar disorder diagnosis.—
Chanel Vargas,
InStyle,
2 Apr. 2026
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The petition cited recently enacted or attempted men’s sports program cuts at California Baptist, East Tennessee State and Clemson, attributing them squarely to the policy.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Humanity has never built an outpost on a world beyond Earth before, after all, so achieving that grand vision will be a heavy lift.—
Mike Wall,
Space.com,
11 Apr. 2026
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In my view, understanding the obstacles to change is a critical step toward achieving this goal.—
Marie Helweg-Larsen,
The Conversation,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Wednesday’s verdict in Los Angeles on the ninth day of jury deliberations shows the difficulty of ascribing how much social media is to blame for youths suffering varying degrees of distress.—
Bloomberg,
Bloomberg,
25 Mar. 2026
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The actress is cautious in ascribing too much power to her position.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
15 Dec. 2025
Verb
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In addition, Ken is an Emmy-award winning broadcaster for Fox Sports’ MLB telecasts.—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
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The Heat is just one loss behind the Hornets and holds the head-to-head tiebreaker over Charlotte after winning the regular-season series 3-1.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In the photo, Alito has the look of a man attaining his destiny.—
Peter S. Canellos,
The Atlantic,
10 Apr. 2026
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His higher calling hit while attaining his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemical engineering and computer science from the University of Illinois and University of Illinois Chicago, says the 61-year-old pastor.—
Denise Crosby,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
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At the western edge of the city, where San Francisco meets the Pacific Ocean, skateboarding is gaining new ground.—
Loureen Ayyoub,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2026
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Along with other conflicts, terrorist attacks, and the detritus of previous wars, bomb detection and disposal units are gaining far too much experience in dealing with such threats to life and limb as well as learning from the painful examples of others.—
David Szondy
April 11,
New Atlas,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The new law allows Britain to extend the reach of its criminal jurisdiction to crack down on migrants making the dangerous crossing.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 Apr. 2026
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The unofficial queen of the flower crown, Vanessa Hudgens was spotted making her way through the crowd during Coachella 2012.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Chalking up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chalking%20up. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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