1
as in lifting
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
2
as in drinking
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
as in borrowing
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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show current usage.
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Recent Examples of taking up
Its foldable design with a snap closure keeps accessories organized, without taking up too much room in an everyday purse or carry-on bag.
—
Isabel Garcia, PEOPLE, 8 Nov. 2025
Though once invited to appear in a film by Michelangelo Antonioni, travel restrictions of the era kept him from taking up the role.
—Annika Pham, Variety, 7 Nov. 2025
Biesinger says working on his own projects, spending time with his family and taking up hobbies like metal detection offer ways to relieve stress and reconnect with his creativity.
—Erik Pedersen, Oc Register, 7 Nov. 2025
Pair it with jeans, dress, midi skirts—pretty much anything, really—for an instantly polished look that adds an extra layer of warmth without taking up precious space in your luggage.
—Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 17 Oct. 2025
The teacher opted to try taking up the carpet herself on the last day of school, but later submitted a work order after the job turned out to be too difficult to complete herself, the letter reads.
—Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 10 Oct. 2025
The Supreme Court is taking up another gun rights dispute in a case that could lead to more handguns in public places.
—Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
With King Charles’ health deteriorating, the Prince and Princess of Wales are taking up more royal duties, and their efforts aren’t going unnoticed.
—Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 27 Sep. 2025
After taking up eight of the July 2025 tally’s 10 positions, music from KPop Demon Hunters keeps those same eight songs on the August survey, while the other two songs from last month — both from Superman — also stay on the list.
—Kevin Rutherford, Billboard, 26 Sep. 2025
Isabel Garcia, PEOPLE, 8 Nov. 2025
Though once invited to appear in a film by Michelangelo Antonioni, travel restrictions of the era kept him from taking up the role.
—Annika Pham, Variety, 7 Nov. 2025
Biesinger says working on his own projects, spending time with his family and taking up hobbies like metal detection offer ways to relieve stress and reconnect with his creativity.
—Erik Pedersen, Oc Register, 7 Nov. 2025
Pair it with jeans, dress, midi skirts—pretty much anything, really—for an instantly polished look that adds an extra layer of warmth without taking up precious space in your luggage.
—Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 17 Oct. 2025
The teacher opted to try taking up the carpet herself on the last day of school, but later submitted a work order after the job turned out to be too difficult to complete herself, the letter reads.
—Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 10 Oct. 2025
The Supreme Court is taking up another gun rights dispute in a case that could lead to more handguns in public places.
—Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
With King Charles’ health deteriorating, the Prince and Princess of Wales are taking up more royal duties, and their efforts aren’t going unnoticed.
—Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 27 Sep. 2025
After taking up eight of the July 2025 tally’s 10 positions, music from KPop Demon Hunters keeps those same eight songs on the August survey, while the other two songs from last month — both from Superman — also stay on the list.
—Kevin Rutherford, Billboard, 26 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for taking up
Verb
-
Fingers bruised from lifting boxes on the warehouse floor, palms calloused from delivery bike handlebars, knuckles scarred with kitchen burns.—
TIME Video,
Time,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Saudi Aramco reported a surprise increase in profits and boosted its forecasts for gas production as the kingdom embarked on a policy of lifting crude output to grab market share.—
Matthew Martin,
semafor.com,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Staying active, meditating, drinking plenty of water and getting a full night’s sleep.—
Jackie Fields,
PEOPLE,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Snag drinking glasses for 50% off and organic cotton cloth napkins for more than half off, plus check out big savings on entire dinnerware sets and more.—
Paige Bennett,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Gelinas points out that the MTA pledges future bus fares to bond holders as a condition of borrowing money.—
Connor Greene,
Time,
5 Nov. 2025
-
The committee also approved borrowing $8 million for the Fire Department's aging equipment and requested a plan to add a farebox to The Hop streetcar.—
Vanessa Swales,
jsonline.com,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
It is measured in the millions of students striving for opportunity—most of them raising children, working jobs, serving in uniform, or making rent and mortgage payments with other bills competing for their attention.—
Yolanda Watson Spiva,
Fortune,
8 Nov. 2025
-
One person might earn more while the other contributes in different but equally meaningful ways, like managing the home, raising kids and planning for the future.—
Annie Nova,
CNBC,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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They were married in 1968, with Miguel Bezos adopting her young son, and had two more kids, Christina and Mark.—
Vinod Sreeharsha,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
-
The minute-long teaser is heavy on performance footage, with Jaafar Jackson adopting the famous outfits and dance moves that made his uncle famous.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Comcast its elevating Steve Croney to CEO of its core Connectivity & Platforms division, succeeding Dave Watson, effective January 1.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Comcast is elevating a longtime finance veteran to a new C-suite role.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Under the proposal, districts such as CA-01, CA-03, CA-22, CA-41 and CA-48 are set to shift by shedding conservative-leaning counties and absorbing more Democratic-leaning areas.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
-
González de Arrieta emphasized the importance of developing new coatings with better light-absorbing properties for solar towers.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Morgan is embracing her new life as a businesswoman, running multiple ventures including her media company Togethxr and investment firm Trybe Ventures.—
Fernando Ramirez,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Nov. 2025
-
So embracing hygge is an integral part of feeling cozy.—
Maggie Horton,
PEOPLE,
8 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Taking up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/taking%20up. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.
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