TAKES UP Synonyms: 101 Similar and Opposite Words

takes up

verb

present tense third-person singular of take up

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

as in drinks

to take in (something liquid) through small openings the soil was so dry that the plant seemed to take up the much-needed water instantly

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 Dark wood furniture swallows light and takes up floor space in hallways. — Shagun Khare, The Spruce, 7 June 2026 Given how much time and energy the budget takes up, expect little else to happen in the Senate this week. — The Denver Post, Denver Post, 18 Apr. 2026 Limit Your Denim Denim takes up a surprising amount of room. — Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 13 June 2026 Hospital care takes up the biggest share of healthcare expenditures. — Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026 The only downside was its size and weight, as it was primarily designed for home use, but no one wants to travel with a gadget that takes up half a suitcase. — Maryna Holovnova, New Atlas, 20 June 2026 Pratt also led the pack in the 5th District, which takes up much of the Westside and is represented by Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky. — Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2026 Because uranium hydride takes up more volume than the original uranium metal, internal pressure increases. — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 31 May 2026 Auoon Clip-On Pot Strainer This clever clip-on pot strainer takes up less space in the cabinet and the dishwasher, and makes quick work of straining pasta water, washing fruit and vegetables, and more. — Maggie Horton, PEOPLE, 30 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for takes up

Verb

One where technology protects, connects, and lifts people up.

— Alain Berset, Time, 6 July 2026
Bovary is in some sense a morality tale, but what lifts it above didacticism, along with its bone-deep interiority, is that its romantic plotlines are as addictive as the genre works that have ruined poor Emma Bovary.

— Boris Kachka, The Atlantic, 3 July 2026

Definition of lifts

Verb

At a charge, guests may also book a cute Patina Osaka wagon, packed with chairs, cuddly blankets, bites, and drinks for a bucolic picnic in the park.

— Kathryn Romeyn, Travel + Leisure, 7 July 2026
The fare includes accommodations, many meals on board, drinks like regular coffee and lemonade, entertainment and more.

— Nathan Diller, USA Today, 6 July 2026

Definition of drinks

Verb

Fuller, who is represented by attorneys Geoffrey Tabor and Timothy O’Reilly, raises antitrust and breach of contract claims that have become familiar in college athlete litigation.

— Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 7 July 2026
But a lengthy rollout raises questions about whether the model can become a scalable solution to the state’s housing crisis — the sale comes more than two years after the state made such transactions possible.

— Ethan Varian, Mercury News, 7 July 2026

Definition of raises

Verb

Often, firming lotions are thick and leave a white cast, but this Olay option, which more than 30,000 buyers have picked up in the past month alone, is lightweight, non-greasy, and absorbs quickly.

— Claire West, InStyle, 1 July 2026
As artificial intelligence rapidly absorbs routine coding, research, analysis, and administrative tasks, many of the entry-level roles that once introduced young people to professional life are being transformed.

— C.M. Rubin, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026

Definition of absorbs

Verb

As an organization adopts agentic workflows, this is becoming especially true.

— Greg Pavlik, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
In 1986, Foxx returned to television to headline The Redd Foxx Show, playing Al Hughes, a NYC newsstand owner who adopts a teenage girl (Pamela Adlon), but the series only lasted 13 episodes.

— Will Harris, Entertainment Weekly, 30 June 2026

Definition of adopts

Verb

Kihyun embraces not knowing his exact destination but confidently asserting his identity.

— Laura Sirikul, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
Inspired by the polished, effortless style of icons like Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, the trend embraces quiet luxury in the form of timeless cuts and glossy finishes.

— Hannah Malach, InStyle, 6 July 2026