1
as in lifts
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
2
3
as in borrows
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
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Recent Examples of takes up
If the hanger buckles, the coat takes up more space.
—
Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 8 Jan. 2026
This small patent leather case takes up minimal precious space in your suitcase.
—Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2025
As for other potential uses, Kardos cautions that the home’s air exchanger takes up a chunk of the space, and the ceiling is also pretty low.
—Kim Velsey, Curbed, 30 Sep. 2025
Cissokho takes up her role this month, with an immediate focus on the Toolbox program and will transition into her WCF leadership role through the autumn.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 24 Sep. 2025
That religion that Karenin takes up, under the oversight of Countess Ivanovna, is his attempt to hold on to that feeling, to grasp something tightly in his human hand.
—Literary Hub, 23 Sep. 2025
With elevated interest rates and rents at an all-time high, housing takes up a major chunk of people’s monthly spending.
—Muskaan Arshad, Fortune, 17 Sep. 2025
With no leaning ladder or extending storage area, this loft bed takes up a smaller footprint than other frames on this list.
—Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 10 Sep. 2025
Carmel is taking aim at what city leaders have deemed a bothersome RV that often parks near city hall and takes up two parking spots.
—Jake Allen, IndyStar, 10 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for takes up
Verb
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A lot of volume shampoos have left my hair feeling heavy and greasy at the root, but this one lifts without the weight.—
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Practical courage lifts your finances as energetic Mars squares vulnerable Chiron in your 2nd House of Accounting, guiding you to spend wisely while respecting personal values.—
Verb
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Emily can pull together a cooking class with an Italian Duchess or a dinner at the resplendent Villa la Tasca, even, possibly, drinks with Count Guiseppe Tasca himself.—
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Find skate rentals, snacks, and drinks at the warming house.—
Verb
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That’s the way of the football world — everybody borrows from each other.—
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Retro design roots The cyberdeck borrows heavily from early mobile computing.—
Verb
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That extraordinary footage, along with video shot by bystanders and a 3D model created by CNN of the confrontation, shows Good and her wife challenging ICE officers – but also raises new questions about Ross’s tactics and decision to use deadly force.—
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In a statement, Stanford student and Drop the Charges organizer Mark Allen Cu said the case raises broader questions about free speech and dissent on campus.—
Verb
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Unlike glossy black, this effect absorbs light in a subtle way, creating a richer, more modern visual texture.—
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And although lightweight, the shoe doesn’t compromise on support — it’s designed with a memory foam sole that absorbs impact and provides an extra layer of padding.—
Verb
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The more affordable Linghui e5, based on the Qin Plus EV platform, adopts a single-motor setup focused on cost-efficient electrification for high-volume buyers.—
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The state’s Housing Development and Finance Committee could see an increase of funding, by $560 million from cap and trade revenue, if the Legislature adopts the proposal.—
Verb
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Dabis embraces the conventions of melodrama with sombre grace.—
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And in a rare moment of humility and sincerity, Marty embraces and praises his opponent and wishes him well at the world championships.—
Verb
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Boston Narrow Suede Clog Birkenstock’s signature suede takes on a seasonal twist with corduroy in the Boston Narrow Suede Clog, currently marked down to $106.—
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An illusion of truth is built by repeating a lie often enough that the lie takes on the patina of truth.—
Cite this Entry
“Takes up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/takes%20up. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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