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

For smart vending machines, the challenge is typically around keeping up with restocking and managing remote operations efficiently. —Aslak De Silva, Forbes, 2 Oct. 2024

One major cause of the strike is the ILA said its raises have not kept up with inflation, an issue former President Donald Trump is blaming on the Biden-Harris administration and promising to tackle if elected. —Haisten Willis, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 2 Oct. 2024

Seattle quarterback Geno Smith tried valiantly to keep up the pace with the home team, cutting the lead to seven with a touchdown on the first drive of the second half. —Ben Morse, CNN, 1 Oct. 2024

So despite the pushback, state officials kept up their dialogue with hospitals and made revisions to address some concerns, records show. —Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 1 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)