tune-up

noun

ˈtün-ˌəp How to pronounce tune-up (audio)
ˈtyün-
1
: a general adjustment to ensure operation at peak efficiency
an engine tune-up
2
: a preliminary trial : warm-up

Examples of tune-up in a Sentence

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.
Cosmetic repairs, oil changes and tune-ups are also usually excluded, as are pre-existing issues and damage resulting from accidents, misuse, neglect or improper maintenance. — Brian Sloan, CNBC, 4 Sep. 2026 In their final tune-up before the 53-man roster comes into focus, the Chiefs tied the Seattle Seahawks 9-9 at Arrowhead Stadium on Friday night. — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 29 Aug. 2026 Give your old cranberry orange muffin recipe a tune-up by subbing in cara cara for the classic navel orange. — Christina Manian, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Aug. 2026 All 32 teams get a tune-up between Thursday and Sunday, and nine of them land on a national broadcaster. — Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tune-up

Word History

First Known Use

1933, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of tune-up was in 1933

Rhymes for tune-up

See All Rhymes for tune-up

Browse Nearby Words

tunesmith
tune-up
tung
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tune-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tune-up. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

tune-up

noun
ˈt(y)ü-ˌnəp
: a general adjustment to get everything in good working order
an engine tune-up
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gist

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All