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
  • Over time, scientists tracked what the participants drank and also assessed their liver health.
    Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2025
  • One case study detailed a man who drank 8 11-ounce servings of coconut water during the day.
    Kelly Burch, Verywell Health, 6 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
  • Continue adding stock, 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup at a time (about 8 to 10 times or about 6 1/4 cups stock), stirring occasionally, until nearly absorbed between additions; cook until al dente, about 18 minutes total.
    Marianne Williams, Southern Living, 12 Oct. 2025
  • Cracking the plastic code Each impact created a small crater where the plastic absorbed the most energy.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Just over a month ago, California opted to delay by five years planned price caps for refiners that were adopted when pump prices jumped over $8 a gallon in 2022, when global crude costs surged after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
    Jordan Blum, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2025
  • Vision of Detroit mayoral candidates Sheffield has adopted 12 budgets during her tenure on council.
    Dana Afana, Freep.com, 9 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
  • William had moreover swallowed an early, heady dose of Anglophilia.
    Stacy Schiff, The Atlantic, 8 Oct. 2025
  • Passing gas, also known as flatulence, is a natural part of digestion that happens when swallowed air or gases produced by gut bacteria move through your intestines and out of your body.
    Christopher Bergland, Verywell Health, 7 Oct. 2025

Cite this Entry

“Took up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/took%20up. Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.

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