1
as in to lift
to move from a lower to a higher place or position
please take up the blanket so I can look underneath it
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in to borrow
to take for one's own use (something originated by another)
one cluster of fans started chanting the team name of the champions, and the crowd quickly took up the cry
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of take up
The matter was briefly taken up in the House of Commons.
—
Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 7 July 2025
Sangay, who took up the baton as the political leader of the exiled government, said that by making the transition to democracy the Dalai Lama wanted to ensure Tibetans can run the movement and the government on their own, even after he is gone.
—Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 3 July 2025
The big, beautiful, lacquered snapper arrived on a large wood plank and took up half my table.
—Keith Pandolfi, The Enquirer, 3 July 2025
So far this year, the central bank has taken up a wait-and-see approach, holding interest rates steady as policymakers await the potential effects of tariffs.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for take up
Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 7 July 2025
Sangay, who took up the baton as the political leader of the exiled government, said that by making the transition to democracy the Dalai Lama wanted to ensure Tibetans can run the movement and the government on their own, even after he is gone.
—Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 3 July 2025
The big, beautiful, lacquered snapper arrived on a large wood plank and took up half my table.
—Keith Pandolfi, The Enquirer, 3 July 2025
So far this year, the central bank has taken up a wait-and-see approach, holding interest rates steady as policymakers await the potential effects of tariffs.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for take up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for take up
Verb
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Sealing your grout is a great way to prevent further staining and using a steam cleaner can help to lift the stains.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
28 June 2025
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The study did find a positive — some areas where industrial activities had been halted had actually caused the land to lift back up.—
Kati Weis
June 27,
CBS News,
27 June 2025
Verb
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At school, nothing was more shameful to me than seeing my father drinking from the water fountain, sucking and gulping.—
Ottessa Moshfegh,
New Yorker,
30 June 2025
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At the first mention of the Trump’s name, Straus sighs and grabs her drink off the bar, taking a long sip.—
Stephen Daw,
Billboard,
30 June 2025
Verb
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The concept borrows from Franco American journeys like the SS Île de France, which used to cross the Atlantic from Le Havre, France, to New York between 1927 and 1958.—
Rosemary Feitelberg,
Footwear News,
28 June 2025
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However the fund, which had been struggling to pay claims prior to the pandemic, was soon exhausted, and the state borrowed about $20 billion from the federal government to keep benefits flowing.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
28 June 2025
Verb
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Business leaders must raise their voices—not just for equity, but for the sustainability and competitiveness of their own industries.—
Leadership Brainery,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2025
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The cooling station — a partnership among Gastonia, Gaston County and HealthNet Gaston, the lead agency for the county’s continuum of care — opened Friday after the community raised concerns about the need for a place for the unhoused to escape the heat.—
Briah Lumpkins,
Charlotte Observer,
1 July 2025
Verb
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Different molecules absorb light in different ways, and by analysing these absorption patterns – called spectra – scientists infer what chemicals are likely to be present.—
Oliver Swainston,
Space.com,
28 June 2025
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Remove dish from oven and let stand until butter absorbs into biscuits, about 5 minutes.—
Ann Taylor Pittman,
Southern Living,
27 June 2025
Verb
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What’s next: The majority of major companies will adopt synthetic data strategies by December.—
Steven Wolfe Pereira,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
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After a lengthy discussion on what to send back to the jury, Judge Subramanian adopted the language for the note proposed by the prosecution.—
Tracy Wright , Lauryn Overhultz , Maria Paronich , Brendan McDonald,
FOXNews.com,
1 July 2025
Verb
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Suede handbags will elevate your outfits, while slim sandals go with everything and do the look just slightly better than everyone else.—
Meghan Rose,
Glamour,
1 July 2025
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Studio Azuki plans to fuse this international momentum with Japan’s anime culture to pioneer new production models, elevate storytelling quality, enable fan collaboration and introduce social-first formats.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
1 July 2025
Verb
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Though most teams have gone away with this practice in the modern era, New York appears to be embracing an old-school approach with Dart.—
Kevin McCormick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 July 2025
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Jude Bellingham trotted over in his flip-flops in astonishment to congratulate Courtois before the two embraced, but no one was more pleased to see his goalkeeper come to the rescue than Alonso, who was asked what was going through his mind as Sabitzer’s effort headed towards goal.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
6 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Take up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/take%20up. Accessed 12 Jul. 2025.
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