show up
Britishverb
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to reveal or be revealed clearly
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(tr) to expose or reveal the faults or defects of by comparison
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informal (tr) to put to shame; embarrass
he showed me up in front of my friends
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informal (intr) to appear or arrive
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Be clearly visible, as in The print doesn't show up against this dark background . [Late 1800s]
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Put in an appearance, arrive, as in I wonder if he'll show up at all . [Late 1800s]
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Expose or reveal the true character of, as in This failure showed up their efforts as a waste of time . [Early 1800s]
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Also, show someone up . Surpass someone in ability, outdo someone, as in John's high score on that math test really showed up the rest of the class . [ Colloquial ; first half of 1900s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Eventually, more agents show up and put the detained man into the back of an SUV.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2026
If the software delivers, the savings should eventually show up in Amazon’s margins, a measure of profitability.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 28, 2026
"What I couldn't have predicted was the people who would show up for me in significant ways, and also the people who worked against me and against the movement," he adds.
From BBC ● Oct. 27, 2026
Most observers are saying that Lula’s campaign successfully doubled down on voter turnout, convincing many of the 33 million people who did not vote in the first round to show up for the runoff.
From Salon ● Oct. 27, 2026
They’d probably show up to the Mad Hatter’s tea party and break everything.
From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
