TAKE-UP Synonyms: 101 Similar and Opposite Words

take up

verb

Definition of take up

as in to lift

to move from a lower to a higher place or position please take up the blanket so I can look underneath it

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to drink

to take in (something liquid) through small openings the soil was so dry that the plant seemed to take up the much-needed water instantly

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in to borrow

to take for one's own use (something originated by another) one cluster of fans started chanting the team name of the champions, and the crowd quickly took up the cry

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 take up There’s been much speculation about who will take up the mantle after Daniel Craig’s 15-year run. — Jack Dunn, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026 Accessed from that porch, most of the floorspace is taken up by a single multipurpose room. — New Atlas, 15 Oct. 2026 The UltraSlim uses a unique slim-profile, split-housing design that takes up less than half as much window space as other window ACs. — John R. Delaney, PC Magazine, 14 Oct. 2026 Chanel’s Mathieu Blazy initiated a tendency toward lightness a year ago, and it has since been taken up broadly, partly in response to extreme heat waves of the summer. — Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 14 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for take up

Recent Examples of Synonyms for take up

Verb

Low clouds that developed overnight gradually lifted and scattered, allowing more sunshine and temperatures to climb into the lower 90s.

— Michael Autovino, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026
Colorado Sports Betting Laws and Timeline When the federal ban on sports betting was lifted, Colorado was among the first to act.

— OutKick, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of lift

Verb

Food and drink Croatian chef Pavo Klarić has been at the helm of Michelin-recommended Luciano Restaurant since 2021.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Oct. 2026
Many consumers are drinking less or buying ready-to-drink beverages such as beer and canned cocktails.

— Lizzie Kane, Sacbee.com, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of drink

Verb

Justice Department By late 2024, the accountant found, Boston Finance Group had borrowed just shy of $100 million from the nonprofit and only paid back around $19 million.

— Cristian Benavides, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
National data points to a pullback from home shoppers who need to borrow money to afford a home.

— Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of borrow

Verb

Japan has also raised concern over China's gradual escalation of its military activity around remote Japanese islands in the Pacific Ocean.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 20 Oct. 2026
Still, Converse’s sales hemorrhage raises fair questions about whether this is more than a cyclical decline.

— Phil Wahba, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of raise

Verb

European leaders have adopted a more aggressive stance to shield native businesses from a tidal wave of Chinese imports, which policymakers have blamed for deep job losses among European automakers and other sectors.

— Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 15 Oct. 2026
This has enriched its atmosphere with calcium, lithium, and sodium, and the team's model suggests this would have led WD J1330+6435 to adopt a green hue.

— Robert Lea, Space.com, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of adopt

Verb

Where a sneaker or flat might’ve kept the outfit in the casual realm, the trendy pump silhouette elevated the ensemble a notch.

— Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2026
The agency will also hike the maximum amount of earnings subject to the Social Security tax, elevating the taxable income limit from $184,500 to $192,300.

— ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of elevate

Verb

Shoes also embraced a more playful and expressive spirit, with jewels, bows, flowers, bold prints and vibrant colors.

— Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
Sand stands as a stark contrast to other Democrats running in solidly blue states, such as Michigan Senate candidate Abdul el Sayed, who have embraced talking points from the Democratic Socialists of America.

— Gabrielle M. Etzel, The Washington Examiner, 13 Oct. 2026