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
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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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Recent Examples of taking up
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
However, the mother of four — who shares daughters Luna and Esti and sons Miles and Wren with Legend — also told PEOPLE last year that her husband had been taking up more of the cooking load in their house.
—Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 6 Sep. 2025
His release said the state House is taking up a bill that would impose tougher penalties on those who refuse to stop for police.
—Christina Hall, Freep.com, 5 Sep. 2025
Councilor Michael-Paul Hart, a Republican who represents the far southeast corner of the county, has opposed the project, arguing Google will create too few jobs and pay too little in taxes to justify taking up nearly 470 acres of land.
—Alysa Guffey, IndyStar, 30 Aug. 2025
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
However, the mother of four — who shares daughters Luna and Esti and sons Miles and Wren with Legend — also told PEOPLE last year that her husband had been taking up more of the cooking load in their house.
—Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 6 Sep. 2025
His release said the state House is taking up a bill that would impose tougher penalties on those who refuse to stop for police.
—Christina Hall, Freep.com, 5 Sep. 2025
Councilor Michael-Paul Hart, a Republican who represents the far southeast corner of the county, has opposed the project, arguing Google will create too few jobs and pay too little in taxes to justify taking up nearly 470 acres of land.
—Alysa Guffey, IndyStar, 30 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for taking up
Verb
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The former Blaugrana standout scored twice in the 2022 final as well as netting his penalty in the shootout on his way to lifting soccer’s most prestigious trophy.—
Frank Nunns O'Connell,
CNN Money,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Later, the humanoids got up in a human-like manner, first lifting their legs and using their hip joint to get up and come back to their original standing position.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
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With that goal in mind, Dijkstra has constructed a scheme to ensure that King Radovid stops drinking and sulking over Jaskier and embraces his role as one of the few remaining leaders who can oppose Emhyr’s army.—
Scott Meslow,
Vulture,
30 Oct. 2025
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If your cat is not drinking enough, try to make water more enticing by adding a drop of tuna juice for flavor.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Investors also overwhelmingly expect the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates by a quarter percentage point this week, while the European Central Bank and Bank of Japan are projected to keep borrowing costs steady.—
Reed Albergotti,
semafor.com,
29 Oct. 2025
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Because, borrowing a trope from great family stage dramas (think Chekhov, Miller or even Wilson), whatever picture-perfect image of the Taylors is first shown to us will soon begin to crack.—
Manuel Betancourt,
Variety,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Still, the project adds another exclusive tier to a venue already marked by VIP enclaves, raising questions about how much of COTA’s most distinctive real estate will remain truly accessible — and for how long.—
Patrick Iversen,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
-
The key to raising emotionally resilient kids is the ability to repair.—
Daniella Gray,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Finding out who the father was took a backseat then with the family instead focused on raising the puppies and adopting them out.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Absent replacing party sinecurists with able, energetic people, nothing can keep candidates from adopting this agenda on their own—as some younger primary challengers of Democratic incumbents are already starting to do.—
David Wingrave,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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As a member of the Phoenix Union High School District Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council, Yeraldin plays a role in elevating student voices, advocating for improvements in academics, extracurriculars and campus life.—
Erick Trevino,
AZCentral.com,
27 Oct. 2025
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The danger intensifies when storm surge coincides with high tide, rapidly elevating water levels and increasing the risk of widespread flooding.—
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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So this safety net, there for shock-absorbing systemic risks, makes sense for mom-and-pop savers and investors.—
Stephen Moore,
Boston Herald,
29 Oct. 2025
-
The Dansko Sam Sandals feature a shock-absorbing foam midsole to provide comfort for even the longest of travel days.—
Caroline Hughes,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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As travelers crave experiences over ordinary stays, hotels that have transformed grim to glam are now embracing their bizarre and sometimes haunted histories, even hosting weddings and wellness retreats.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
25 Oct. 2025
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ProSieben wasn’t the only European media giant embracing change this week, as Tatxo Benet exited his CEO and chairman role at Spanish production giant Mediapro after 25 years.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Taking up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/taking%20up. Accessed 1 Nov. 2025.
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