keep up

verb

kept up; keeping up; keeps up

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

• hold out
• hold up
• last
• prevail
• survive

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

Where Trump advisers saw opportunities to drag down Harris by tying her to all of Biden’s record, the candidate only intermittently kept up the strategy. —Philip Elliott, TIME, 11 Sep. 2024

Viewers who have been keeping up with the series from the beginning may feel rewarded by the staggering mountain landscapes and other open spaces here, a respite after all those hours watching garment assembly in gnarly, cluttered workshops. —Leslie Felperin, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Sep. 2024

Authorities vowed to keep up their pursuit as residents worried about where the shooter might turn up next. —Bruce Schreiner and Dylan Lovan, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2024

Luxury travelers want to keep up with their multi-step skincare regimens on holiday and the hospitality industry is following suit. —Jessica Ourisman, Forbes, 9 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

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)