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

Global Foundries just didn’t have enough research and development (R&D) budget, and with limited production and revenue, struggled to keep up with market leaders. —Craig Barrett, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2024

Jones kept up his smooth tone over the decades, and credited one decision in particular for that longevity. —Chris Willman, Variety, 25 Oct. 2024

Leaders must keep up with shifting demands and breakthrough innovations, all while maintaining reliability, revenue growth and core values. —Brian Beutler, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024

Ireland’s central bank says 52,000 homes need to be built in the country every year if demand is to keep up with supply. —Byryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 24 Oct. 2024

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)