works up

present tense third-person singular of work up

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 works up The Jetz-Scrubz sponge (awkward to say, easy to use) quickly works up super fine suds from your dish soap, making for a very satisfying and effective cleaning experience. Alaina Chou, Bon Appetit Magazine, 26 Feb. 2026 These stylistic parameters, however, feel established purely so the film can wrestle against them, which works up to a point. Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 17 Feb. 2026 The whole episode works up to Dorit and Amanda’s confrontation at Dorit and Erika’s birthday dinner. Brian Moylan, Vulture, 30 Jan. 2026 Smalltown Boy works up the courage to ask Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) to dance, and now their hands are all over each other, much to the chagrin of Smalltown Boy’s ex, Personal Jesus, who is going through the motions of dancing with Caribbean Queen but keeps looking over his shoulder. Literary Hub, 15 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for works up
Verb
  • Whether this episode develops into a genuine challenge for the presidency remains to be seen.
    Clemente Lisi, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Anyone who develops symptoms after a tick bite or possible exposure should contact a healthcare provider.
    Jennifer McLogan, CBS News, 31 July 2026
Verb
  • Training for business leaders forges a body, mind, and spirit prepared for whatever challenge comes next.
    Julian Hayes II, Forbes.com, 25 July 2026
  • As the administration forges ahead with its immigration enforcement campaign, former ICE officials and policing experts warned that resuming vehicle stops without a thorough review of training or tactics could lead to more violent encounters.
    Christopher Cann, USA Today, 17 July 2026
Verb
  • The contact with the hot metal creates steam that instantly breaks down and lifts baked-on grease and food debris.
    ABC News, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026
  • This urban concentration creates hidden local impacts, including wildly uneven regional carbon emissions depending on whether the local grid relies on fossil fuels or green energy.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 3 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Spread across 339 nodes, the $242,624 paid since December works out at roughly $715 each.
    Boaz Sobrado, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Let’s say this works out, recognizing that a couple of impressive days at training camp are a really long road shy of that sentence being true.
    Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 1 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The airport recently extended its current lease agreement an extra year, keeping the status quo in place through at least June 30, 2027, while the city hammers out a long-term deal.
    Nick Sullivan, Charlotte Observer, 9 July 2026
  • Zack James’ shifty drumming hammers out a drum ’n’ bass redux like a panicked heartbeat while Carney Hemler’s bass lurches in slow motion, replicating the gut drop of a horrible realization.
    Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 3 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Through effortless magnetism, and extraordinary emotional precision, this actor crafts a character who belongs as much to the sea as the shore.
    William Earl, Variety, 25 July 2026
  • House of Leon crafts it from Douglas fir using shou sugi ban, a traditional Japanese technique that preserves wood by charring its surface.
    Nora Taylor, Architectural Digest, 23 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Works up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/works%20up. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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