1
as in lifts
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
2
3
as in borrows
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 takes up
With no leaning ladder or extending storage area, this loft bed takes up a smaller footprint than other frames on this list.
—
Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 10 Sep. 2025
Carmel is taking aim at what city leaders have deemed a bothersome RV that often parks near city hall and takes up two parking spots.
—Jake Allen, IndyStar, 10 Sep. 2025
Wright takes up this question in his discussion of utopian visions and their role in social change movements and the development of critical consciousness.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 10 Sep. 2025
If the court takes up the dispute, a ruling would come out by the time the court’s term ends in late June 2026 at the latest.
—Alison Durkee, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
So, at the ripe old age of 42, and much to his family’s disgust, Paul takes up the life of the artist, leaving (presumably rent-free) in his aunt’s surprisingly sizable studio flat in a suburb of Paris.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 29 Aug. 2025
This process takes up to two weeks, and once the bat traffic has stopped, all entry points are permanently closed with caulk, hardware cloth, or flashing, depending on the material and the point of entry.
—Kathy Barnes, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Aug. 2025
According to Barker, park rangers lead a Moonlight Hike along the Dune Life Nature Trail, a journey that takes up to two hours and costs $8 per person ($4 for kids ages 15 and younger).
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 5 Aug. 2025
Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 10 Sep. 2025
Carmel is taking aim at what city leaders have deemed a bothersome RV that often parks near city hall and takes up two parking spots.
—Jake Allen, IndyStar, 10 Sep. 2025
Wright takes up this question in his discussion of utopian visions and their role in social change movements and the development of critical consciousness.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 10 Sep. 2025
If the court takes up the dispute, a ruling would come out by the time the court’s term ends in late June 2026 at the latest.
—Alison Durkee, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
So, at the ripe old age of 42, and much to his family’s disgust, Paul takes up the life of the artist, leaving (presumably rent-free) in his aunt’s surprisingly sizable studio flat in a suburb of Paris.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 29 Aug. 2025
This process takes up to two weeks, and once the bat traffic has stopped, all entry points are permanently closed with caulk, hardware cloth, or flashing, depending on the material and the point of entry.
—Kathy Barnes, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Aug. 2025
According to Barker, park rangers lead a Moonlight Hike along the Dune Life Nature Trail, a journey that takes up to two hours and costs $8 per person ($4 for kids ages 15 and younger).
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 5 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for takes up
Verb
-
The heated air then rises, similar to how a hot air balloon lifts off.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Another hinge lifts the screen up and toward the user.—
Scharon Harding,
ArsTechnica,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Nor does the audience know exactly what will happen to whichever character drinks the water.—
Alan Sepinwall,
Rolling Stone,
2 Sep. 2025
-
For most, the goal is to keep food and drinks cold while making ice last as long as possible.—
Brad Moon,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The model borrows from tech culture’s open-source ethos.—
Jason Phillips,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Their technique borrows from results obtained during a 2022 test mission for asteroid collision, called Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART).—
Elizabeth Howell,
Space.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
For Little, this raises even more questions.—
Sarah Durn,
Popular Science,
11 Sep. 2025
-
In July, a geologist warned that an ongoing cluster of smaller earthquakes near the Nicobar Islands could signal a volcanic eruption in the Andaman Sea, which raises fears of another tsunami.—
M. Rajshekhar,
Time,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
This type of fiber absorbs water, helping stool to pass through the digestive system.—
Amber J. Tresca,
Verywell Health,
10 Sep. 2025
-
This results because Earth's atmosphere absorbs relatively short wavelengths of light, letting only the longer-wavelength reddish hues through to paint the lunar surface.—
Mike Wall,
Space.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The bar also partners with Wags and Walks, a non-profit organization that rescues and adopts dogs in need.—
Diana Leyva,
Nashville Tennessean,
5 Sep. 2025
-
When a child adopts troubling behaviors, values, or attitudes, the typical instinct for caregivers is to intervene.—
Russell Shaw,
The Atlantic,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
And up in orbit, the Enterprise also embraces the fantasy vibe, deploying a Vulcan mind-meld to get Spock and Kirk piloting the Enterprise and Farragut, respectively, in telepathic unison.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
The entire performance is a shining spotlight on the record, which toys with the malleability of their sound and embraces unconventional approaches to an already robust sound.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
In this reimagining of the dramatic case of Amanda Knox, Grace Van Patten takes on the role of the American study abroad student who was accused of killing her roommate, Meredith Kercher.—
James Mercadante,
People.com,
27 Aug. 2025
-
Seasoned with salt air, even the most lackluster sandwich takes on a glow.—
Bon Appétit Staff & Contributors,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
20 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Takes up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/takes%20up. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share