taken up

Definition of taken upnext
past participle of take up
1
2
as in absorbed
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

3

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 taken up Increasingly, communities have taken up arms themselves to fight back against groups like Los Ardillos. Megan Janetsky, Fortune, 10 May 2026 The idea was then taken up by other Scottish scholars, including James Frazer, whose widely read compendium The Golden Bough (1890) attempted to establish cross-cultural parallels in mythology. Glenn Adamson, Artforum, 2 May 2026 That bill was expected to be taken up by the House. John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 2 May 2026 Most of the ground floor's space is taken up by the kitchen, which occupies the center of the home. Adam Williams april 19, New Atlas, 19 Apr. 2026 With airfares and fees on the rise, consumers still can make choices that determine how much of their travel budgets will get taken up by paying to get to and from their destinations. ABC News, 18 Apr. 2026 An almost identical policy was originally taken up during a lengthy Plymouth Select Board meeting in January. Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 18 Apr. 2026 Politics consequently occupies much of the space for leftists that is usually taken up by family, religion, career and community for conservatives. Bradley Gitz, Arkansas Online, 23 Mar. 2026 History of Wimberley Established as a trading post by settlers in 1848, the area was previously home to Native Americans and later frequented by Spanish conquistadors who had taken up in nearby San Antonio. Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 13 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for taken up
Verb
  • When France lifted the trophy two weeks later, ‘l’episode de l’extincteur’ was held up as a moment that had helped bring the squad closer together.
    Tom Williams, New York Times, 17 May 2026
  • Masatake Yoshida lifted a sacrifice fly to tie the score at 1-all.
    Chad Bishop, AJC.com, 17 May 2026
Verb
  • In fact, Musk sought to fold OpenAI into Tesla -- a move that would have absorbed the venture into a for-profit entity, lawyers for Altman said in a legal filing.
    Max Zahn, ABC News, 18 May 2026
  • The region has absorbed a decade of being discovered and come out intact.
    Melinda Sheckells, HollywoodReporter, 18 May 2026
Verb
  • A lot of the stuff that people think is new or innovative now is actually something that’s been borrowed or co-opted from something else that came before, or it was at least inspired by something that came before.
    Marah Eakin, Vulture, 20 May 2026
  • Karpathy was one of several OpenAI employees Musk borrowed from OpenAI to do months of free work at Tesla, where the development of self-driving vehicles wasn’t going as quickly as promised.
    Ashley Capoot,Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 19 May 2026
Verb
  • Analysts have raised concerns about concentration risks in South Korea's stock market, with an overreliance on a small group of companies raising the risk of volatility and vulnerability to geopolitical shocks, including a slowdown in data-center spending.
    Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 18 May 2026
  • Woldenberg, in response to the tariffs, had implemented a hiring freeze, put off plans to build a new warehouse, and raised the prices of his firm’s products.
    John Cassidy, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
Verb
  • The bald eagle has been a national emblem since Congress adopted the Great Seal in 1782, though it wasn’t designated the national bird until 2024.
    Sarah Raza, Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2026
  • Though its origins are disputed, artists from across the world have adopted the aesthetic, offering creative takes that go from hyperrealistic to surreal to playful and bright.
    Diana Tsui, Footwear News, 15 May 2026
Verb
  • Passed in the final days of session and signed into law by Lamont earlier this week, the bill was praised as a massive victory for the state’s labor community and has been strongly embraced by unions and workers advocacy groups.
    P.R. Lockhart, Hartford Courant, 17 May 2026
  • As a front man, Riley embraced the name—and, with it, a peacocking ambition to achieve mass visibility.
    Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 17 May 2026
Verb
  • Taxpayers will be shelling out a big slice of their taxes to service debt taken on in the past to finance government spending in years gone by.
    Steve H. Hanke, Fortune, 14 May 2026
  • The convergence has also taken on a nostalgic shape online.
    Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 May 2026

Cite this Entry

“Taken up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/taken%20up. Accessed 22 May. 2026.

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