workup

1 of 3

noun (1)

work·​up ˈwərk-ˌəp How to pronounce workup (audio)
: an intensive diagnostic study especially for medical purposes

work-up

2 of 3

noun (2)

: an unintended mark on a printed sheet caused by the rising of spacing material

work up

3 of 3

verb

worked up; working up; works up

transitive verb

1
: to stir up : rouse
2
: to produce by mental or physical work
worked up a comedy act
worked up a sweat in the gym

intransitive verb

: to rise gradually in intensity or emotional tone

Examples of workup in a Sentence

Verb spent years working up a period novel that was historically accurate in every detail
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.
Noun
Because of the sort of tumor her doctors suspected, the medical workup would require an injection of a chemical that would be deadly to the fetus. Essence, 31 Oct. 2024 An annual blood workup might signal that your routine is too focused on one domain. Matt Fuchs, TIME, 30 Sep. 2024
Noun
Helping people overcome treatment-resistant depression begins with a thorough work-up to ensure a proper diagnosis. Karen Pallarito, Health, 2 June 2024 Good posture and footwork to slide, secure and climb on work-up blocks. Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 22 Apr. 2024
Verb
Unless Josh finally works up the courage to take his crush on Bananas to the next level. Emma Sharpe, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2024 Death Becomes Her, the new musical adaptation of the 1992 comedy fantasy film, worked up some Broadway magic in its second week since beginning performances at the Lunt-Fontanne, grossing an impressive $1,073,018 for seven previews and filling 98% of the venue’s seats. Greg Evans, Deadline, 5 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for workup 

Word History

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1939, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1903, in the meaning defined above

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of workup was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near workup

Cite this Entry

“Workup.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/workup. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

work up

verb
1
: to stir up
worked up support for the project
2
: to produce by mental or physical work
worked up a sweat at the gym

Medical Definition

workup

1 of 2 noun
work·​up ˈwər-ˌkəp How to pronounce workup (audio)
: an intensive diagnostic study
a gastrointestinal workup
a psychiatric workup

work up

2 of 2 transitive verb
: to perform a diagnostic workup upon
work up a patient
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!