TAKING UP Synonyms: 101 Similar and Opposite Words

taking up

verb

present participle of take up

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

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

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

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 taking up Much was spoken about the positions Ronaldo was taking up in their opening game, often keeping himself offside when DR Congo pushed up the pitch. — Mark Carey, New York Times, 2 July 2026 Rather than having cluttered and mismatched products taking up precious space, Hamid recommends unifying products. — Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 June 2026 Marco Colon, 14, is taking up boxing with Plaza now, as is Eugene Garcia, 18. — Victor Jacobo, CBS News, 24 June 2026 Since taking up farming in 2019, Clarkson has become an outspoken agriculture advocate who has railed against the government’s decision to introduce inheritance tax on farmland in November 2024. — ABC News, 17 June 2026 Some states are taking up the issue. — Gretchen Morgenson, NBC news, 10 June 2026 While Elliott became the cast’s newest addition, Demi Moore was foregrounded as a major player, with her character Cami Miller taking up the mantle of MTEX CEO following her husband’s sudden death in Season 1. — Kai Naima Williams, Variety, 27 May 2026 Its minimalist silhouette and hip-length hem pair effortlessly with shorts, skirts, or linen trousers, helping to stretch your travel wardrobe without taking up much suitcase space. — Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 20 May 2026 The space will occupy 20,879 square feet, taking up a large amount of existing vacant space in the center, according to the Sacramento Business Journal. — Emma Hall, Sacbee.com, 13 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for taking up

Verb

Angels lose to Rangers Wyatt Langford lined a shot off the wall in left field to bring home Alejandro Osuna in the ninth inning, lifting Texas to a 7-6 victory over the Angels after the Rangers blew a five-run lead Thursday night.

— Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
Brendan McDermid | Reuters Meta shares rallied on Friday, lifting their gains for the week to 15%, on pace for the best weekly performance since early 2024, as optimism builds around CEO Mark Zuckerberg's artificial intelligence strategy.

— CJ Haddad, CNBC, 10 July 2026

Definition of lifting

Verb

How to protect yourself When traveling to areas where cyclospriasis is endemic — including tropical or subtropical regions — avoid drinking tap water.

— Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
Some jokes, including a riff on the history of the Wright Brothers, feel vaguely Dada, as if Marino and Wain had spent a long, happy stretch of aimless days drinking coffee and free-associating.

— Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 10 July 2026

Definition of drinking

Verb

And mortgage rates won’t go down until government debts and deficits go down — since the housing market competes for borrowing with the federal government.

— Andy Harris, Baltimore Sun, 4 July 2026
Production runs from a Los Angeles home base plus two traveling studios that move to the best matches each day, borrowing the fanfest grammar of Big Noon Kickoff.

— Maureen Kerr, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026

Definition of borrowing

Verb

Millions of homeowners who secured ultra-low mortgage rates before the Federal Reserve began raising interest rates in 2022 are reluctant to sell because doing so would likely mean taking on a much more expensive mortgage.

— Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
If your diet is full of fresh fruits and vegetables, the cyclosporiasis outbreak spiking across the country may be raising concerns on what to eat.

— Sara Moniuszko, USA Today, 10 July 2026

Definition of raising

Verb

Creators now hold more leverage — often keeping ownership and creative control — a shift from the old model of studios simply absorbing influencers into existing productions.

— Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
Due to a lightweight insole, grippy outsole, shock-absorbing heel, and secure lace-up closure, that was made possible.

— Ruby McAuliffe, InStyle, 7 July 2026

Definition of absorbing

Verb

Not Respecting Shrines and Temples Most Japanese people have a very loose relationship to religion compared to some Westerners, adopting practices from Buddhism, Shinto, and even Christianity.

— Jessica Kozuka, Travel + Leisure, 4 July 2026
During the past decade, underwriters have pushed buzzy tech companies into adopting more staggered or shortened release dates for insiders to sell their shares, some even contingent on earnings or stock-price increases to dampen the flow.

— Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 3 July 2026

Definition of adopting

Verb

The Bulls are embracing a positionless archetype of play this season, which pushes young players such as Swain to broaden their identity on the court.

— Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 9 July 2026
Their strategies range from asking better questions and providing immediate value to embracing transparency, acknowledging limitations and creating genuine human connections that skeptical buyers remember.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026