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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Recent Examples of work up
After working up an appetite in the more temperate months, meals can be taken at the outdoor dining pavilion alongside the home.
—
Tori Latham, Robb Report, 26 Jan. 2026
There’s no better way to work up an appetite than a rewarding round of golf in a picturesque location.
—Katie Sweeney, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Just be sure to work up to trickier moves gradually so the vibrations don’t knock you off balance, Pojednic adds.
—Jennifer Heimlich, Time, 23 Jan. 2026
The spa Up on the seventh floor, the small wellness space has a mixed sauna big enough for four (Austrians tend to dispense with modesty, so choose your moment carefully), with a relaxation space and a wooden-floored gym that seems almost too elegant to work up a sweat in.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for work up
Tori Latham, Robb Report, 26 Jan. 2026
There’s no better way to work up an appetite than a rewarding round of golf in a picturesque location.
—Katie Sweeney, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Just be sure to work up to trickier moves gradually so the vibrations don’t knock you off balance, Pojednic adds.
—Jennifer Heimlich, Time, 23 Jan. 2026
The spa Up on the seventh floor, the small wellness space has a mixed sauna big enough for four (Austrians tend to dispense with modesty, so choose your moment carefully), with a relaxation space and a wooden-floored gym that seems almost too elegant to work up a sweat in.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for work up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for work up
Verb
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Early symptoms may also go away within a day, but serious to fatal liver damage can still develop within two to three days.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Feb. 2026
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In a groundbreaking new study, researchers have developed an electronic skin that allows humanoid robots to distinguish everyday touch from damaging force.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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There is a kind of brotherhood forged between people who work in the shadow world.—
Max Gao,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Feb. 2026
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Razieh and Mahtab had forged a bond in prison over their love of literature.—
Azar Nafisi,
Time,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Activists have used whistles to alert neighborhoods to the presence of federal immigration agents, disrupt operations and create public pressure.—
Asra Q. Nomani,
FOXNews.com,
7 Feb. 2026
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Elliot Camarra, originally from Cape Cod, created works from paper, metal, glass, and wood that evoke the sea.—
Grace Edquist,
Vogue,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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So mailing your ballot may work out fine, or may not.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
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He’s initially disappointed to find people working out at Muscle Beach in Lummus Park, doing yoga on the sand and going for a jog.—
Aaron Leibowitz,
Miami Herald,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Work up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/work%20up. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.
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