Up to — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

preposition phrase

Meaning & Definition of Up to

Up to (preposition)

  1. —used as a function word to indicate extension as far as a specified place
  2. —used as a function word to indicate a limit or boundary

Up to (phrase)

  1. capable of performing or dealing with
  2. engaged in
  3. being the responsibility of

Up to (preposition) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. during the period before and continuing to (a particular time)

    "She was unsure of what to do and deliberated up to the last moment about whether to accept the job offer."

    similar: till, until, up till, afore (chiefly dialect), ahead of, before, ere, fore (chiefly dialect), of, previous to, prior to, to
    opposite: next, next to, since, after, following

Related Entry: Up (adjective)

Up is a different word from Up to. The synonyms below are for up, not for up to.

  1. being at a higher level than average

    "the level of the lake is up this spring"

    similar: elevated, escalated, heightened, high, increased, jacked (up), raised
    related: extreme, full, maximized, maximum, peaked, sky-high, utmost, inflated, over, overfilled, overflowing, overfull, overlarge, overloaded, oversize
    opposite: down, low
    near: decreased, depressed, dropped, knockdown (chiefly British), receded, under

  2. brought or having come to an end

    "okay, time is up"

    similar: complete, completed, concluded, done, down, ended, finished, over, over with, terminated, through, out of hand, out of the way
    related: accomplished, achieved, attained, compassed, realized, dead, defunct, extinct, kaput, obsolete, expired
    opposite: continuing, incomplete, ongoing, uncompleted, undone, unfinished

  3. having information especially as a result of study or experience

    "she's always up on the latest developments in fashion"

    similar: abreast, acquainted, au courant, conversant, familiar, informed, knowledgeable, up-to-date, versed, well-informed, at home, in the know
    related: alive, aware, cognizant, conscious, heedful, mindful, sensible, sentient
    opposite: ignorant, unacquainted, unfamiliar, uninformed, unknowledgeable
    near: insensible, unaware, unconscious, unmindful, blind, oblivious, unknowing, unwitting, inattentive, unheeding

Related Entry: Up to snuff (phrase)

Up to snuff is a different word from Up to. The synonyms below are for up to snuff, not for up to.

  1. of a level of quality that meets one's needs or standards

    "She decided to buy some new hiking gear, worried that her worn old supplies were not up to snuff."

    similar: acceptable, adequate, all right, decent, fairish, fine, good, OK, passable, respectable, satisfactory, serviceable, tolerable
    related: agreeable, bearable, endurable, sufferable, average, fair, indifferent, mediocre, middling, minimal, common, ordinary, run-of-the-mill, run-of-the-mine, second-rate, so-so, standard, unexceptional, appropriate, correct, due, fitting, meet, proper, right, seemly, suitable, useful, worthy, gratifying, satisfying
    opposite: deficient, inadequate, insufficient, lacking, unacceptable, unsatisfactory, wanting
    near: disagreeable, disreputable, improper, indecent, objectionable, unfit, unsuitable, unworthy, useless, wrong, bad, cheap, defective, faulty, imperfect, incomplete, lamentable, pitiful, shoddy, dissatisfying, insufficient, meager, mean, miserly, poor, scanty, shabby, short, skimpy, spare, stingy, insufferable, intolerable, unbearable, unendurable, atrocious, execrable, miserable, vile, wretched, exceptional, exquisite, extreme, fancy, first-class, high-grade, matchless, maximized, maximum, optimal, optimum, peerless, preeminent, premium, special, supreme, unmatched, unparalleled, A1, bang-up, banner, boss (slang), capital, classic, crackerjack, dandy, divine, fabulous, fine, first-rate, grand, great, groovy, heavenly, jim-dandy, keen, marvelous, neat, nifty, noble, par excellence, prime, sensational, splendid, stellar, sterling, superb, superior, superlative, supernal, swell, terrific, tip-top, top, top-notch, unsurpassed, wonderful

Related Entry: Kiss up to (phrase)

Kiss up to is a different word from Up to. The synonyms below are for kiss up to, not for up to.

  1. to use flattery or the doing of favors in order to win approval especially from a superior

    "He was always kissing up to his professors."

    similar: apple-polish, bootlick, fawn, fuss, kowtow, suck (up), toady, truckle, curry favor
    related: drool, gush, slaver, slobber, endear, ingratiate, court, woo, adulate, idolize, worship, blandish, cajole, coax, flatter, overpraise, soft-soap, cower, cringe, grovel, abase, debase, demean, defer, submit, yield
    near: despise, disdain, scorn, gibe, jeer, scoff, brave, challenge, defy

Related Entry: Live up to (phrase)

Live up to is a different word from Up to. The synonyms below are for live up to, not for up to.

  1. to give steadfast support to

    "Once elected, she lived up to her campaign promise to balance the state's budget."

    similar: adhere (to), hew (to), keep (to), stand by, stick (to or with), abide by, hold to
    related: cleave (to), advocate, back, champion, confirm, defend, endorse, espouse, support, uphold, accept, adopt, cherish, cultivate, embrace, follow, foster, heed, backstop, bolster, boost, buttress, enforce, reinforce
    opposite: defect (from)
    near: abandon, abnegate, desert, forsake, give up, relinquish, spurn, surrender, abjure, recall, recant, reconsider, renege, renounce, retract, revoke, take back, unsay, withdraw, controvert, disagree (with), disprove, dispute, rebut, refute, contradict, deny, disavow, disclaim, disown, gainsay, negate, negative, repudiate, back down, back off, backtrack

Related Entry: Stand up to (phrase)

Stand up to is a different word from Up to. The synonyms below are for stand up to, not for up to.

  1. to oppose (something hostile or dangerous) with firmness or courage

    "He found peace after standing up to his greatest fears."

    similar: beard, brave, brazen, breast, confront, dare, defy, face, outbrave, outface
    related: face up (to), front, affront, challenge, encounter, meet, accost, approach, corner, repel, resist, stand, withstand, battle, combat, contend (with), fight, oppose, square (off)
    opposite: dodge, duck, funk, shirk, sidestep
    near: avoid, eschew, shun, elude, escape, evade, shake

Related Entry: Kissed up to (phrase)

Kissed up to is a different word from Up to. The synonyms below are for kissed up to, not for up to.

  1. to use flattery or the doing of favors in order to win approval especially from a superior

    "He was always kissing up to his professors."

    similar: apple-polished, bootlicked, fawned, fussed, kowtowed, sucked (up), toadied, truckled, curried favor
    related: drooled, gushed, slavered, slobbered, endeared, ingratiated, courted, wooed, adulated, idolized, worshipped, blandished, cajoled, coaxed, flattered, overpraised, soft-soaped, cowered, cringed, groveled, abased, debased, demeaned, deferred, submitted, yielded
    near: despised, disdained, scorned, gibed, jeered, scoffed, braved, challenged, defied

Related Entry: Lived up to (phrase)

Lived up to is a different word from Up to. The synonyms below are for lived up to, not for up to.

  1. to give steadfast support to

    "Once elected, she lived up to her campaign promise to balance the state's budget."

    similar: adhered (to), hewed (to), kept (to), stood by, stuck (to or with), abided by, held to
    related: cleaved (to), advocated, backed, championed, confirmed, defended, endorsed, espoused, supported, upheld, accepted, adopted, cherished, cultivated, embraced, followed, fostered, heeded, backstopped, bolstered, boosted, buttressed, enforced, reinforced
    opposite: defected (from)
    near: abandoned, abnegated, deserted, forsook, gave up, relinquished, spurned, surrendered, abjured, recalled, recanted, reconsidered, reneged, renounced, retracted, revoked, took back, unsaid, withdrew, controverted, disagreed (with), disproved, disputed, rebutted, refuted, contradicted, denied, disavowed, disclaimed, disowned, gainsaid, negated, negatived, repudiated, backed down, backed off, backtracked

Related Entry: Stood up to (phrase)

Stood up to is a different word from Up to. The synonyms below are for stood up to, not for up to.

  1. to oppose (something hostile or dangerous) with firmness or courage

    "He found peace after standing up to his greatest fears."

    similar: bearded, braved, brazened, breasted, confronted, dared, defied, faced, outbraved, outfaced
    related: faced up (to), fronted, affronted, challenged, encountered, met, accosted, approached, cornered, repelled, resisted, stood, withstood, battled, combated, contended (with), fought, opposed, squared (off)
    opposite: dodged, ducked, funked, shirked, sidestepped
    near: avoided, eschewed, shunned, eluded, escaped, evaded, shook

Related Entry: Kisses up to (phrase)

Kisses up to is a different word from Up to. The synonyms below are for kisses up to, not for up to.

  1. to use flattery or the doing of favors in order to win approval especially from a superior

    "He was always kissing up to his professors."

    similar: apple-polishes, bootlicks, fawns, fusses, kowtows, sucks (up), toadies, truckles, curries favor
    related: drools, gushes, slavers, slobbers, endears, ingratiates, courts, woos, adulates, idolizes, worships, blandishes, cajoles, coaxes, flatters, overpraises, soft-soaps, cowers, cringes, grovels, abases, debases, demeans, defers, submits, yields
    near: despises, disdains, scorns, gibes, jeers, scoffs, braves, challenges, defies

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Up to

The most common words with a similar meaning to Up to:

Chiefly dialect: afore, fore
till, until, up till, ahead of, before, ere, of, previous to, prior to, to

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Up to

Words with the opposite meaning of Up to:

next, next to, since, after, following

Origin & Etymology of Up to

First known use: before 12th century

Words & Phrases Containing Up to

up to no good, up to one's ears, up to snuff, up to speed, up to a point, up to here, up to one's eyes, up to one's neck in

Frequently Asked Questions about Up to

What does "Up to" mean?

"Up to" means —used as a function word to indicate extension as far as a specified place. As an a preposition and a phrase, it is defined as: —used as a function word to indicate extension as far as a specified place.

What is another word for "Up to"?

Other words for "Up to" include till, until, up till, afore, ahead of, before, ere and fore. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Up to" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Up to"?

There are 12 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Up to". Common alternatives include till, until, up till, afore, ahead of, before, ere, fore, of and previous to.

What is the opposite of "Up to"?

Antonyms of "Up to" include next, next to, since, after and following.

How do you use "Up to" in a sentence?

Examples of "Up to" in a sentence: "She was unsure of what to do and deliberated up to the last moment about whether to accept the job offer.".

Is "Up to" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Up to" can be used as a preposition and a phrase, depending on the context.

What is the origin of the word "Up to"?

First known use: before 12th century.

What is another word for "Up to" meaning "during the period before and continuing to (a particular time)"?

When "Up to" (preposition) means during the period before and continuing to (a particular time), synonyms include till, until, up till, afore, ahead of and before. Opposites in this sense include next, next to, since and after.