keep up

verb

kept up; keeping up; keeps up
Synonyms of keep upnext

transitive verb

: to persist or persevere in
kept up the good work
also : maintain, sustain
keep standards up

intransitive verb

1
: to keep adequately informed or up-to-date
keep up on international affairs
2
: to continue without interruption
rain kept up all night
3
: to maintain contact or relations with someone
keep up with old friends

Synonyms

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of keep up in a Sentence

let's hope that old air conditioner keeps up through this heat wave kept the house up while the owners were gone
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
For many, the hope is that UNC can match similar investments by peer institutions, such as UCLA and the University of Michigan, and keep up with the financial success of many schools within the rival SEC or Big Ten conferences. — Zachery Eanes, Axios, 13 Mar. 2025 Stalin, who personally approved many of the arrest lists, kept up with poetry and opera. — Joshua Yaffa, The New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2025 Many viewers were no doubt scratching their heads trying to keep up and figure it all out, even as Jeff Probst explained on screen why certain people could not vote or draw at certain times. — Dalton Ross, EW.com, 13 Mar. 2025 Even with the return of state employees to downtown offices twice a week, businesses in Sacramento are struggling to keep up with operating costs. — William Melhado, Sacramento Bee, 12 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for keep up

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of keep up was in the 15th century

Rhymes for keep up

See All Rhymes for keep up

Browse Nearby Words

keep up
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Cite this Entry

“Keep up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/keep%20up. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

keep up

verb
1
: maintain sense 1
keep standards up
2
: to stay well informed about something
keep up on the news
3
: to continue without interruption
rain kept up all night
4
: to stay even with others (as in a race)

More from Merriam-Webster on keep up

Nglish: Translation of keep up for Spanish Speakers

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