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 And Cook took up Hunt on the offer. Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 3 Nov. 2025 The other laureates, French economist Philippe Aghion and Canadian-American Peter Howitt, also took up the earlier work of renowned Austrian-American economist Joseph Schumpeter, from the first half of the 20th century, 150 years after Smith. Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 19 Oct. 2025 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for took up
Verb
  • The year the ban lifted, Trier became the country’s national champion, specializing in rugged stunts using infrastructure like rails and stairs.
    Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025
  • Then finally, in 2023, the bans were lifted.
    Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 3 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • The first urban inhabitants drank wine, a recent archaeological survey found, after discovering the rare wine press near Tel Megiddo in Israel’s north.
    Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 8 Nov. 2025
  • The two had spent hours chatting as Shamblin drank hard ciders on a remote Texas roadside.
    Allison Gordon, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • To further enrage Predator purists, Thia and Dek adopt a cuddly little monkey-ish creature as their companion, a CGI bit of whimsy seemingly borrowed from Pixar.
    Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 4 Nov. 2025
  • The name of the Sabalenka-Kyrgios exhibition was borrowed from the 1973 match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs, which King won in straight sets in the Houston Astrodome.
    Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 4 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Political leaders and many social media users raised questions about the effectiveness of flood preparations.
    Robert Birsel, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
  • Biden then raised this handout to $130.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Like all of Jack Daniel’s whiskey, it was filtered through charcoal before barreling, part of the Lincoln County process, but only through three feet instead of the usual 10 feet according to Fletcher (there’s less corn in the mashbill, and therefore less oil to be absorbed).
    Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 9 Nov. 2025
  • Holding inventory becomes more expensive as carrying costs rise, and those costs either need to be recouped when selling to retailers or absorbed.
    Amalia Roy, FOXNews.com, 8 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Arlene adopted Aileen in 1991 Arlene and her husband, Robert, adopted Aileen in 1991, after she was arrested and incarcerated.
    Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 6 Nov. 2025
  • It was officially adopted with a two-thirds vote requirement in 1917.
    George Petras, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Gabe Kapler was elevated to general manager of the Miami Marlins on Monday.
    Brittany Ghiroli, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025
  • While posing for photos, the couple’s joint monochrome moment both complemented and elevated their respective looks.
    Julia Teti, Footwear News, 3 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Some disappeared from the city and were swallowed up in the Yeoman hinterland.
    George Packer, The Atlantic, 6 Nov. 2025
  • And businesses that have so far swallowed the tariffs without raising prices may not be able to for much longer.
    Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 4 Nov. 2025

Cite this Entry

“Took up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/took%20up. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.

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