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

From crumbling drainage systems to outdated technologies, urban spaces need fresh ideas and investments to keep up with the demands of modern living. —Rhett Power, Forbes, 12 Jan. 2025

Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti will need to bump Harbaugh to keep up with escalating coach salaries. —Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 12 Jan. 2025

Whether chasing after the ball or trying to keep up with the action, Archie is always enthusiastic. —Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 11 Jan. 2025

Photographed on three different occasions yesterday and the day previous (January 8 and 7), the actor kept up her commitment to monochromatic dressing. —Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 9 Jan. 2025

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)