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

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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 Sort the list, prep the meal, or handle the task that has been quietly taking up brain space. — Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 8 Aug. 2026 This is supportive energy for closure, rest, or releasing a feeling that has been taking up too much room behind the scenes. — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 6 Aug. 2026 Indeed, so much so that there are suggestions that the people from better-off backgrounds are taking up many of the limited number of places. — Roger Trapp, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026 Gen Z is taking up analog hobbies, ditching dating apps and spending real time at the mall again. — Lauren Schuster, Charlotte Observer, 24 July 2026 The queen-sized bed remains grand without feeling imposing or taking up your entire bedroom, largely thanks to its lower headboard height and nearly invisible wooden legs. — Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 16 July 2026 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for taking up

Verb

Citrini Research’s February note imagined agents lifting output per hour to rates unseen since the 1950s while employment and demand collapse.

— Josipa Majic Predin, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
The commission was worried that lifting the ban would undo what had been accomplished.

— Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of lifting

Verb

Jennifer Messemer-Skold, the communications director for Miami-Dade Water and Sewer, said the department’s stance is that the county’s tap water meets all current requirements and residents don’t need a filter to be drinking high quality water.

— Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 7 Aug. 2026
As Ryan prepared to return to the United States, he and three members of the press were shot and killed, prompting Jones to enact a mass suicide plan involving drinking a fruit drink laced with poison and sedatives.

— Tracy Grant, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of drinking

Verb

Their other liabilities include credit cards and auto loans, borrowing against brokerage accounts and other investments, as well as personal and business loans.

— Jason Ma, Fortune, 8 Aug. 2026
Rishi Jaluria, another RBC analyst, said some of the pop for Atlassian is likely attributable to short covering, meaning that investors who bet against the stock by borrowing shares and selling them are now buying them back.

— Jordan Novet, CNBC, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of borrowing

Verb

But trying to get tanner through more UV light exposure can bring lot of dark, dark risks—such as damaging your skin and in the process raising your risk of skin cancer.

— Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026
Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials say Russia is augmenting its arsenal with North Korean ballistic missiles, further raising the threat.

— Nathan Hodge, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of raising

Verb

Lopez, a former sparring partner, seeks to become a three-division champion, moving up to 147 lbs following a loss at junior middleweight, and is adopting a less braggadocious pre-fight stance.

— Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
One goal deals with communities adopting climate action plans.

— Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 9 Aug. 2026

Definition of adopting

Verb

Such bold tax reforms, mirroring Ireland's economic boom, could ignite rapid GDP growth, elevating El Salvador's economic standing beyond its current mediocrity.

— Nathan Lewis, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Washington Examiner chief political correspondent Byron York said people like Hasan Piker are elevating campaigns for candidates like Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong.

— Britta Miller, The Washington Examiner, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of elevating

Verb

Connecticut deserves credit for embracing decades of scientific research demonstrating that adolescent brains continue developing well beyond age seventeen.

— Keith Wortz, Hartford Courant, 13 Aug. 2026
Beyond high vamps, fall 2026 footwear is embracing nostalgia and drama.

— Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 13 Aug. 2026