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
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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The model successfully reproduced multiple cycles seen during the satellite era, including the gradual shift of sunspots from higher latitudes toward the solar equator—a key indicator of how a cycle develops.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
1 Feb. 2026
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Specifically, kids this age are developing key emotional regulation skills, such as tolerating disappointment, embarrassment, as well as frustration and anger.—
Liz Regalia,
Parents,
31 Jan. 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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As technology advanced and investment increased, developers took the groundwork laid by games like Elite and expanded it into some of the most ambitious and compelling video games ever created.—
Alan Bradley,
Space.com,
31 Jan. 2026
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The show created by Levy and his son Dan about a wealthy family forced to live in a tiny town would dominate the Emmys in its sixth and final season.—
ANDREW DALTON,
Arkansas Online,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Anderson traveled to New York for a potential job that didn’t work out and had been working at a pizzeria before his arrest, the law enforcement source told CNN.—
Kara Scannell,
CNN Money,
29 Jan. 2026
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Anderson had traveled to New York City for a job opportunity that did not work out and had been working in a pizzeria, according to that person.—
Dan Mangan,
CNBC,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Work up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/work%20up. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.
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