use up

verb

used up; using up; uses up

transitive verb

: to exhaust of strength or useful properties
land that has been used up

Examples of use up in a Sentence

we used up the last of the flour when we made the waffles
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
For instance, a toilet designed before 1992 may use up to 7 gallons of water per flush, whereas modern toilets use an average of 1.6 gallons per flush. Kamron Sanders, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Feb. 2025 Idaho Education Opportunity Program: House Bill 164 would create a program to allow eligible families to use up to 80% of the average per student state funding on non-public education expenses, including private school tuition. Ian Max Stevenson, Idaho Statesman, 18 Feb. 2025 Been looking for a way to use up that open jar of salsa in the fridge? Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 17 Feb. 2025 Mandatory spending uses up roughly $4 trillion in federal dollars each year, with Social Security making up $1.5 trillion of that, roughly 21 percent of the entire budget. Dan Perry, Newsweek, 13 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for use up

Word History

First Known Use

1712, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of use up was in 1712

Browse Nearby Entries

Cite this Entry

“Use up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/use%20up. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

use up

verb
: to make complete use of : exhaust
used up all the supplies

More from Merriam-Webster on use up

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!