upkeep

noun

ˈəp-ˌkēp How to pronounce upkeep (audio)
Definition of upkeepnext
as in maintenance
the act or activity of keeping something in an existing and usually satisfactory condition the upkeep of the old place was costing a fortune

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 upkeep Still, in many communities, the people who live alongside it handle the day-to-day upkeep. — Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 25 Sep. 2026 The age and upkeep of these school buildings affect students’ health and their ability to learn. — Rebecca Smullin Dawson, The Conversation, 25 Sep. 2026 Dimitris Giannetos, celebrity hair stylist, regards it as necessary upkeep. — Valeriya Chupinina, Vogue, 22 Sep. 2026 Plastic surgery and inflationary beauty standards impose dizzying upkeep. — Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for upkeep
Recent Examples of Synonyms for upkeep
  1. maintenance
  2. preservation
  3. preserving
Noun
  • But their buildings still need maintenance, school buses still need to run, and teachers still need to be paid.
    — Bilin Lin, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
  • During both, the LIGO and Virgo gravitational-wave detectors were down for maintenance.
    — Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of maintenance
Noun
  • While horology businesses often maintain dedicated storefronts, mobile technicians remain vital to the preservation of these instruments.
    — La'Tasha Givens, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026
  • In August, the Supreme Court allowed construction to continue, finding that the preservation group likely lacked the right to sue based solely on its objections to the ballroom’s appearance.
    — Rebecca Schneid, Time, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of preservation
Noun
  • There are solutions for age verification that are both accurate and privacy preserving.
    — Annie Chestnut Tutor, Boston Herald, 18 Aug. 2025
Definition of preserving

Browse Nearby Words

up in the air
upkeep
upland
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Upkeep.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upkeep. Accessed 25 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of emissary

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Oct. 23

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All