up to

preposition

1

—used as a function word to indicate extension as far as a specified place

sank up to his knees in the mud

2

—used as a function word to indicate a limit or boundary

up to 50,000 copies a month

worked up to the last minute

Examples of up to in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The brand recommends using the oil up to three times a week before showering, but brush the hair first. —Jenny Berg, Allure, 1 Jan. 2025

Royal warrants are granted for up to five years, and those companies appointed are allowed to use the coat of arms of the royal they are associated with on packing, as part of advertising or on stationary. —Rachel Burchfield, People.com, 1 Jan. 2025

With SpaceX likely to gain approval for up to 25 Starship launches in 2025, the largest, most powerful rocket ever built will be a main event. —Andrew Jones, Space.com, 1 Jan. 2025

The European Space Agency telescope is designed to make a 3D map of the universe by looking at billions of galaxies up to 10 billion light years away across one third of the sky. —Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel, 1 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

up to

preposition

1

: as far as a named part or place

sank up to my hips

2

: in accordance with

the game was not up to our standards

3

a

: to the limit of

come in sizes up to 10

b

: as many or as much as

carry up to 10 tons

4

: until entry 1, till

from dawn up to dusk