chalk up

verb

chalked up; chalking up; chalks up

transitive verb

1

: ascribe, credit

chalked up his failures to inexperience

2

: attain, achieve

chalk up another victory

Synonyms

• accredit
• ascribe
• attribute
• credit
• impute
• lay
• put down

Examples of chalk up in a Sentence

let's chalk up her weird behavior to simple nervousness

chalked up a record in singles tennis that is likely to stand for a long time

Recent Examples on the Web

He was admitted for a week and later discharged with anti-seizure medication, as the doctors chalked up inflammation in his brain to a viral infection. —Cara Lynn Shultz, People.com, 30 Apr. 2025

Wade’s first couple weeks of this season couldn’t just be chalked up to bad luck. —Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 29 Apr. 2025

While some of this success can be chalked up to it being a free service, the creator ecosystem that has flourished on the platform is attracting viewers due to its uniqueness, innovativeness and, in the spirit of its early days, its imperfections and do-it-yourself vibe. —Katharina Buchholz, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025

Armstrong ran up and down the massive catwalk usually meant for teams of dancers, chalking up a marathon-level number of steps by the end of the set. —Jeff Miller, HollywoodReporter, 13 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1877, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for chalk up

• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup
• markup