TAKING UP Synonyms: 101 Similar and Opposite Words

taking up

verb

present participle of take up

as in lifting

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in drinking

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 borrowing

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

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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 taking up Normal gym etiquette is to refrain from taking up time on machines when the place is busy. — Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 29 Oct. 2026 Conversely, if your balances have increased or high-rate debt is taking up a growing portion of your budget, your repayment strategy may need to change. — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026 Feel free to skip the pep talk and ask what's been taking up their energy lately. — Vanessa Van Edwards, Contributor, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2026 Brittin warned upon taking up the top job in May that the organization would need to take drastic measures if his company is to come out the other side of this evolve-or-die period for traditional broadcasters. — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 20 Oct. 2026 Justin Barocas, a founder of the Anomaly agency, is taking up the reins as CEO, while Kamen will move to an executive-chairman role and Scherma will maintain his position as president. — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026 That’s why the Jmdhkk Hidden Camera Detector may be a good investment to provide a level of safety to your stay without taking up excess space in your suitcase or being difficult to use. — Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 30 Sep. 2026 Some are banning their kids from taking up football; others defend it for building bonds and teaching life skills. — Alexandra Pattillo, Scientific American, 23 Sep. 2026 This September, the facility welcomed 34 kits from seven litters, marking the most productive season in its 25-year history of taking up the project. — Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 21 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for taking up

Verb

The reduction in missions lifting off from Florida has slowed Falcon 9's Starlink launch cadence considerably.

— Josh Dinner, Space.com, 23 Oct. 2026
Record-high diesel prices pushed freight off the highway and onto the railroads in the third quarter, lifting CSX, Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern to record revenue.

— Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of lifting

Verb

But there’s a difference between drinking before entering the ring once and corrupting bullfighting for years.

— Stephen Bates, New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2026
Pearce has stopped drinking alcohol and has turned her experience into an effort to support other breast cancer survivors.

— Melissa May, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of drinking

Verb

France's unrest is fueling investor concerns over the country's fiscal outlook, after borrowing costs hit their highest level since 2002 earlier this week.

— Hugh Leask, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2026
It's called an exchange because borrowing entities, like a regional heating oil retailer, would be required to replace the same volume at a premium ahead of next year.

— Cooper Katz McKim, NPR, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of borrowing

Verb

Recast as geometry, the old identities now point toward unmapped territory, raising questions that mathematicians are eager to explore.

— Lyndie Chiou, Scientific American, 29 Oct. 2026
Reader poll shows opposition The latest debate comes just a week after the council approved raising its members’ annual salaries by nearly 74%, from $69,000 to $119,750, beginning with the next term.

— Natalie Jones, Baltimore Sun, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of raising

Verb

The proposed Department of Neighborhood Safety would send mental health professionals and other civilian responders to certain nonviolent 911 calls while absorbing the city’s existing violence prevention programs.

— Chevall Pryce, Baltimore Sun, 27 Oct. 2026
What eventually made tobacco’s cumulative harm actionable was that states showed their Medicaid budgets absorbing the downstream costs of industry products.

— Ned Cooper, STAT, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of absorbing

Verb

In 2024, after more than ten years of consideration, and contrary to the recommendation of its own Anthropocene Working Group, the Subcommission on Quaternary Stratigraphy voted against formally adopting the Anthropocene as our new epoch.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2026
Additionally, partners need to have a clear understanding of how the innovator, supply chain and brand will share the risks associated with adopting a new technology.

— Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of adopting

Verb

Second, the massive capital requirements associated with artificial intelligence infrastructure buildouts have intensified competition for market liquidity, leading investors to demand higher yields and further elevating corporate financing costs.

— , CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026
The Timberland Field Boot in Brown Full-grain/Camo features a Gore-Tex membrane, elevating the typical waterproof construction of the Field Boot with an even more protective liner that’s also breathable.

— Riley Jones, Footwear News, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of elevating

Verb

Yet, Wealth Briefing Asia notes that regulatory and reporting challenges often stop family offices from fully embracing crypto assets.

— Angelica Ang, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
And fanfic adaptations aren’t just capturing attention in the film industry; fanfic is also a promotional tool, with films that have nothing to do with fanfic embracing it.

— Emily Maskell, IndieWire, 22 Oct. 2026