took up

past tense of take up
1
2
as in drank
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 took up Sybille Darricarrère Lunel, formerly of Dior and Galeries Lafayette, took up her role in July, succeeding acting CEO Ralph Toledano, who remains chairman of the company. Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 10 Oct. 2025 María Elvira Salazar, the Florida representative, recently took up the cause of a Cuban rapper named Eliéxer Márquez Duany. Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025 The winger spent time with family and took up new sports in golf and padel during his downtime. Roshane Thomas, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025 None of them took up the offer from the production team. Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 8 Sep. 2025 Flaws in medical devices were not a new concept that the 2023 guidance took up. Christian Espinosa, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025 The documents are dated July 17 and July 21, respectively — more than a week before the City Council took up the mayor’s request to declare the three parcels surplus property. Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Aug. 2025 Fast forward to 1983, and another lab took up the mystery. Pranjal Malewar, New Atlas, 10 Aug. 2025 The other astronauts took up the name and in 2017, the International Astronomical Union, which governs official space nomenclature, broke its rule requiring features or objects named after people to to be named posthumously, and recognized Mount Marilyn. Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 9 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for took up
Verb
  • All mandatory evacuations were lifted Sunday, but low-lying areas and residences along the river remain on pre-evacuation orders.
    Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 13 Oct. 2025
  • So when the moratorium was lifted, a wave of eviction notices followed.
    Chase Hunter, Mercury News, 13 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Kevin Federline claims that Britney Spears drank while pregnant and did cocaine while breastfeeding in new excerpts from the former dancer’s upcoming memoir, published in several news outlets.
    Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Over time, scientists tracked what the participants drank and also assessed their liver health.
    Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Breaking the 65 mm barrier The new design borrowed ideas from an older and unusual frame known as the bone drone.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 14 Oct. 2025
  • Some have borrowed against their bitcoin reserves to raise cash, others are exploring bitcoin as collateral in credit markets, and payments firms are experimenting with instant settlement across borders.
    Luke Xie, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Trent and Amber wed in 1998, and the couple raised their five kids in Forsyth, Ga.
    Emily Weaver, PEOPLE, 15 Oct. 2025
  • The entrepreneur and yoga instructor has previously spoken out about facing criticism over the authenticity of her Spanish accent (she was raised bilingual).
    Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Amid the drafting tables and miniature models, Carter not only honed his technical skills but also absorbed how seasoned designers build worlds from scratch.
    Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 19 Oct. 2025
  • If the government isn’t able to sell a property, it’s then absorbed into the land bank, and the government owns it.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 18 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The animals that wound up in the shelter, some strays and a few surrendered by owners who couldn’t care for them, were unlikely to get adopted; anyone in Pecos who wanted a dog probably already had three.
    Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2025
  • The Johnstons adopted Alex on May 17, 2008.
    Emily Weaver, PEOPLE, 15 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Chantelle kept the energy elevated and joyful while pushing the class to really get their groove on all while including modifications if needed.
    Essence, Essence, 14 Oct. 2025
  • Still, his pulse was elevated, likely as a result of being nervous over the surreal situation playing out in our family room.
    Melissa Willets, Parents, 14 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Pointed gestures toward the lingering tension between Japan and Korea — and between those two countries and the rest of the planet — are drowned out by tiresome bickering and exaggerated gags, like a meaningful conversation swallowed into the sound of an airplane engine screaming overhead.
    David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 15 Oct. 2025
  • But with the inability to do live shows for much of 2020-2021, and the meteoric growth of Matt Rife’s social media presence, many stand-ups swallowed their pride and bought a tripod.
    David Zucker, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2025

Cite this Entry

“Took up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/took%20up. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!