TOOK UP Synonyms: 103 Similar and Opposite Words

took up

verb

past tense of take up

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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

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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 took up Officials did not give a breakdown of how many were deported and how many took up offers of voluntary repatriation. — Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026 Chekhov took up position beside a section of the wall still standing, keeping well within its shadow. — Vasily Grossman, Harpers Magazine, 30 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for took up

Verb

The value of Iran’s oil revenue in dollars peaked by one-and-a-half times from April through July compared to the same period last year, according to Iranian media, after the US temporarily lifted crippling sanctions.

— Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 24 July 2026
That led to most Canadian provinces banning the sale of American booze as of March 2025 (only Alberta and Saskatchewan have lifted their bans).

— Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 23 July 2026

Definition of lifted

Verb

The company behind the beer Sam Adams told NBC Boston its Boston Taproom ran out of Samuel Adams Boston Lager one weekend because of the Tartan Army, which drank four times as much beer as is consumed on a typical four-day weekend.

— Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 19 July 2026
Instead, James drank wine, entertained recruiting pitches and served up a whole lot of nothing.

— Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 17 July 2026

Definition of drank

Verb

On Friday, Caine specifically raised concerns about the US munitions stockpile and other potential negative implications, according to the sources.

— Chris Lau, CNN Money, 26 July 2026
He was born in Kansas City and raised in the small city of Emma, Missouri, located along Interstate 70, according to his profile on Ballotpedia.

— Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 26 July 2026

Definition of raised

Verb

On October 6 the gyre absorbed a smaller vortex from the Pacific over Central America.

— Laura Payne, Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 July 2026
When people eat red meat, most of the alpha gal is digested in the stomach and small intestine, with very little being absorbed into the blood.

— Alice Park, Time, 23 July 2026

Definition of absorbed

Verb

Carvalho said the inaugural colloquium intentionally adopted the broad theme of royal gems and jewelry to gauge interest.

— Anthony DeMarco, Forbes.com, 25 July 2026
Countless novels, films, and games have since adopted the image of the treasure-guarding dragon.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 July 2026

Definition of adopted

Verb

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg elevated the charges at Morales’ arraignment, making sure that both attacks are considered hate crimes, which carry additional penalties upon conviction.

— Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 25 July 2026
Barca’s financial struggles in recent years may well have helped players such as Yamal and Cubarsi be quickly elevated to the first team.

— Pol Ballús, New York Times, 24 July 2026