TAKE UP Synonyms: 101 Similar and Opposite Words

take up

verb

Definition of take up

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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to drink

to take in (something liquid) through small openings the soil was so dry that the plant seemed to take up the much-needed water instantly

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of take up The country's 2027-2029 state budget, which will be taken up Thursday in the rubber-stamp parliament, is accompanied by a string of tax hikes announced after the September parliamentary elections. — ABC News, 28 Oct. 2026 The Fish Man is one of the best examples of restaurants taken up by the sons and daughter of immigrants, Lee told me. — Christopher Solomon, Travel + Leisure, 28 Oct. 2026 All of that work will take up to 17 days from first liftoff to splashdown. — Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 28 Oct. 2026 Now it’s solved the problem in every dimension, proving that there’s a limit to how small a space a high-dimensional stylus can take up. — Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 27 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for take up

Recent Examples of Synonyms for take up

Verb

The now defunct memorandum of understanding that Washington and Tehran signed in June promised to lift sanctions and funnel billions to Iran in return for Iran’s reopening the Strait of Hormuz, possibly with Iranian tollbooths.

— S. C. M. Paine, Foreign Affairs, 3 Nov. 2026
Also shot here were the exterior scenes of the submersible, which was hung from the boat by a crane and lifted onto the dock.

— Rachel Chang, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of lift

Verb

Observed employees drinking coffee by the sushi area who changed their gloves but didn’t wash their hands before preparing sushi for customers’ orders.

— David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2026
Food and drink As with Chablé’s other properties, the food program is overseen by Jorge Vallejo, who helms Mexico City’s Quintonil (named as one of the world’s top 50 restaurants).

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of drink

Verb

One option would be to grow tissue grafts with the mesh inside and then transplant them, but a more interesting possibility would be to borrow an idea from Elon Musk’s brain-computer interface company Neuralink.

— Edd Gent, IEEE Spectrum, 29 Oct. 2026
That said, companies can borrow from its system lens to take as broad a view of nature and climate as possible.

— Bella Webb, Vogue, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of borrow

Verb

Andy’s view The prospect of steep losses for Republicans in today’s midterms and the lame-duck presidency that ensues regardless raise a fundamental question about the outlook for a budding US-China détente.

— Andy Browne, semafor.com, 3 Nov. 2026
In one video, Basabe appears to raise his voice at a man before turning around and shouting at a woman.

— Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of raise

Verb

Jesús de Miguel died Tuesday, a day after absorbing a heavy hit by the opposing team’s goalkeeper during a match in Spain’s second division and being rushed to a hospital.

— ABC News, ABC News, 4 Nov. 2026
Fresco painting involves laying dry powdered pigment onto the wet plaster so that the pigment is absorbed into the plaster and becomes one with it.

— Artforum, Artforum, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of absorb

Verb

The lawsuit argues the change violates the Administrative Procedure Act because it was adopted without explanation and the First Amendment, which protects lawyers' ability to advise people of their legal rights and seek prospective clients.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 29 Oct. 2026
Lectra said fashion companies adopting AI-native processes during early creation already see measurable strategic advantages throughout the product lifecycle.

— Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of adopt

Verb

The victory denies Abbott a fourth term and elevates an Austin state representative who built her campaign around public education, household costs and criticism of the state's Republican leadership.

— Blaise Gainey, NPR, 4 Nov. 2026
The election also elevates a number of state and gubernatorial candidates who made stricter regulation of data centers a key part of their campaigns.

— Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of elevate

Verb

During the campaign, Acton highlighted her background in public health, not politics, and embraced policies like a statewide child tax credit and medical debt forgiveness.

— Sarah Donaldson, NPR, 4 Nov. 2026
Although the local law embraces triads, foursomes and other group relationships, the language bars registering of couples who have already declared other partnerships.

— Suhauna Hussain, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026