upkeep
Americannoun
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the process or activity of providing an establishment, machine, person, etc., with necessary or proper maintenance, repairs, support, or the like.
The machine's faulty operation shows that no one has attended to its upkeep.
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the total sum of the costs or expenses for this.
noun
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the act or process of keeping something in good repair, esp over a long period; maintenance
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the cost of maintenance
Etymology
Origin of upkeep
Explanation
Upkeep is the process of caring for something so that it keeps working. Changing your car's oil every 5,000 miles is an important part of its upkeep. An actor's monthly visits to the salon for highlights show how much he cares about his hair's upkeep, while a city manager's focus might be on the upkeep of roads and bridges. In either case, there's a kind of maintenance or care involved. Sometimes this noun describes something closer to "financial support," like when a divorcing couple argues about who's responsible for the upkeep of their seven poodles.
Vocabulary lists containing upkeep
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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.
Upkeep includes spare parts, depot maintenance, training, software updates, systems integration and availability guarantees.
From MarketWatch • Feb. 28, 2026
Upkeep of the properties — two tropical islands, the ranch and a Paris apartment are still unsold — has cost millions more.
From New York Times • Jan. 28, 2022
Upkeep is not just a matter of appearance.
From Seattle Times • Aug. 3, 2021
Upkeep on the tractors has been a familiar task - but one that’s gotten easier through the years.
From Washington Times • Oct. 24, 2015
The practical worker will find the chapter on Wiring, Calculation of Wire Sizes and Magnet Winding, Upkeep of Systems, and the Location of Faults, of the greatest value in their work.
From Aviation Engines Design?Construction?Operation and Repair by Pag?, Victor Wilfred
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
