as in to develop
to produce or bring about especially by long or repeated effort
spent years working up a period novel that was historically accurate in every detail
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of work up
He feels emotionally ambushed, and what plays out is as if Marriage Story were an absolute chucklefest, as Lestat gets increasingly worked up and jealous over Louis’s relationships with other men.
—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
15 June 2026
Church’s numinous-sun-over-still-water routine had begun to look a bit like a shtick, equally applicable to scenes of the Hudson or those worked up from 20-year-old sketches of South America.
—
Susan Tallman,
The Atlantic,
13 June 2026
Stroll on the Eastern Promenade to work up an appetite and take in views of Casco Bay.
—
Jacqueline Dole,
Travel + Leisure,
13 June 2026
These surveys drop a lot of hard, time-consuming work up front.
—
Jordan Minor,
PC Magazine,
12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for work up
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
15 June 2026
Church’s numinous-sun-over-still-water routine had begun to look a bit like a shtick, equally applicable to scenes of the Hudson or those worked up from 20-year-old sketches of South America.
—
Susan Tallman,
The Atlantic,
13 June 2026
Stroll on the Eastern Promenade to work up an appetite and take in views of Casco Bay.
—
Jacqueline Dole,
Travel + Leisure,
13 June 2026
These surveys drop a lot of hard, time-consuming work up front.
—
Jordan Minor,
PC Magazine,
12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for work up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for work up
Verb
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As adult influencers dominate online fashion culture, and tweens and teens see the same content as adults, there are fewer spaces for young people to develop styles of their own.
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However, treatment given soon after exposure can prevent the infection from developing.
Verb
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The future vision is to forge partnerships with OEMs, expand internationally, leverage the EV base to build a 2nd-life EV business and expand into V2G services.
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As American wine continues to evolve, the story is less about competing with Europe than about forging a distinctly American identity.
Verb
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Give ample space to large vehicles - Trucks or buses can create a water spray that diminishes visibility.
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France has largely dominated, controlling 68% of possession and creating a whopping seven shots on goal.
Verb
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Current satellite data measures ozone separately in the lower, middle, and upper stratosphere, and model simulations help scientists work out the causes of any changes in these layers.
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Pinkerton is still working out how that inspiration will play out in the next round of songs, but likes the theme of finding light even in the darkest of places.
Cite this Entry
“Work up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/work%20up. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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