shoot up

verb

shot up; shooting up; shoots up
Synonyms of shoot upnext

transitive verb

1
: to shoot or shoot at especially recklessly
cowboys shooting up the town
2
: to inject (a narcotic drug) into a vein

intransitive verb

: to inject a narcotic into a vein
shoot-up
ˈshüt-ˌəp How to pronounce shoot up (audio)
noun

Examples of shoot up in a Sentence

gas prices shot up seemingly overnight
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.
By this decade, that average had shot up to nine days per year and has gone as high as 18 in a single year. — Alejandra Borunda, NPR, 2 Sep. 2026 Shares of Dell shot up more than 13% shortly after the open after the server maker on Tuesday night delivered what may be the best earnings report of the year. — Zev Fima, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026 First, many investors paused proceeding with transactions as soon as interest rates shot up over four years ago, due to monetary policy tightening. — Remy Raisner, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026 The second jet, which was right behind, flew through a cloud of pink dust that shot up from the stadium roof as part of the pregame show. — Michelle Gumede, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shoot up

Word History

First Known Use

1890, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of shoot up was in 1890

Rhymes for shoot up

See All Rhymes for shoot up

Browse Nearby Words

shoot to kill
shoot up
shop
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shoot up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shoot%20up. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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