1
as in lifted
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
2
3
as in borrowed
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 took up
The last time the city took up a large-scale update of the charter was in 1999, amid an effort by some San Fernando Valley civic leaders to secede from Los Angeles.
—
Melissa Gomez,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
In 1979, Jean-Louis Palladin arrived in Washington from Gascony, France, took up residence in the kitchen of the Watergate Hotel and proceeded to embarrass every serious cook in America.
—
Bart Hutchins,
Washington Post,
12 June 2026
On June 9, 1846, American immigrants near Sonoma took up arms and captured a number of members of the Mexican military and their horses.
—
Kurt Snibbe,
Oc Register,
12 June 2026
Six took up redistricting voluntarily, one was required to by its state constitution and another did so under court order.
—
David A. Lieb,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2026
The board took up Chapman’s previous offer to reduce her hours and forgo her benefits next year.
—
Jennah Pendleton,
Sacbee.com,
8 May 2026
The Supreme Judicial Court took up the case, and is now weighing the lawsuit after hearing arguments from both sides last month.
—
Gayla Cawley,
Boston Herald,
8 May 2026
Though the back-and-forth between council, city staff and developers took up much of the hearing, over a dozen citizens chimed in.
—
Matthew Geiger,
Denver Post,
1 May 2026
The officer — whose name has not been released — and his horse quickly took up the chase that was captured on his bodycam and also by a television news crew that happened to be in the area for an unrelated story.
—
ABC News,
17 Apr. 2026
Melissa Gomez,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
In 1979, Jean-Louis Palladin arrived in Washington from Gascony, France, took up residence in the kitchen of the Watergate Hotel and proceeded to embarrass every serious cook in America.
—
Bart Hutchins,
Washington Post,
12 June 2026
On June 9, 1846, American immigrants near Sonoma took up arms and captured a number of members of the Mexican military and their horses.
—
Kurt Snibbe,
Oc Register,
12 June 2026
Six took up redistricting voluntarily, one was required to by its state constitution and another did so under court order.
—
David A. Lieb,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2026
The board took up Chapman’s previous offer to reduce her hours and forgo her benefits next year.
—
Jennah Pendleton,
Sacbee.com,
8 May 2026
The Supreme Judicial Court took up the case, and is now weighing the lawsuit after hearing arguments from both sides last month.
—
Gayla Cawley,
Boston Herald,
8 May 2026
Though the back-and-forth between council, city staff and developers took up much of the hearing, over a dozen citizens chimed in.
—
Matthew Geiger,
Denver Post,
1 May 2026
The officer — whose name has not been released — and his horse quickly took up the chase that was captured on his bodycam and also by a television news crew that happened to be in the area for an unrelated story.
—
ABC News,
17 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for took up
Verb
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In April, the California Department of Motor Vehicles revised its regulations for autonomous vehicles and lifted a ban on autonomous trucks weighing 10,001 pounds or more.
-
Scripted by David Koepp from Spielberg’s original story, Disclosure Day stars Josh O’Connor as Daniel Kellner, a cybersecurity expert who has lifted sensitive files about alien contact with the government.
Verb
-
Yes, some people drank so much that they got fired and hit on random people and drove drunk—those people should obviously quit.
-
British media outlets reported that the England fans drank 5,000 beers at The Londoner on Tuesday, spending £30,000, or more than $40,200.
Verb
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But that was little comfort to tech investors, who are concerned that short-term inflation will increase the debt burden of mega-cap companies that have borrowed large amounts of money to fund their artificial intelligence infrastructure.
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When confronted about their pollution, industry executives often have blamed consumers, using tactics borrowed from and shared with Big Tobacco, according to a Chicago Tribune review of thousands of government, scientific and internal industry documents.
Verb
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Led by Thiel Fellow James Proud, Substrate recently raised $100 million at a $1 billion valuation from investors including Founders Fund and General Catalyst.
-
Would Rhaenyra’s Syrax — a formidably sized dragon, albeit one raised in captivity — be able to torch them all?
Verb
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In fact, the Department of Energy estimates that about 76 percent of the sunlight that hits a standard double-pane window is absorbed as heat, making things hotter.
-
First, its molecules prefer to sit on the surface of the skin rather than being more readily absorbed into the bloodstream, which can occur for some formulations.
Verb
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An orphaned owl at a rescue center in New York has adopted the role of a foster parent, nursing two orphaned baby owlets and giving them parental love.
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The county board recently adopted a proclamation recognizing the auxiliary deputies for almost 50 years of service.
Verb
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The series effectively elevated the character beyond being viewed simply as Superman’s female counterpart, reimagining her as a more emotionally complex and world-weary hero still grappling with the trauma of Krypton’s destruction.
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This morning, Oprah attended the annual Cannes LionHeart Seminar in an all-white look that felt effortlessly cool; it was elevated without being fussy.
Verb
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Mount Baldy made headlines in 2013 when a 6-year-old boy was suddenly swallowed by the dune, prompting rescues to frantically dig him out.
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The parade swallowed ordinary city life, too.
Cite this Entry
“Took up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/took%20up. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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