keep up

British  

verb

1. (tr) to maintain (prices, one's morale) at the present level

2. (intr) to maintain a pace or rate set by another

3. to remain informed

   to keep up with technological developments

4. (tr) to maintain in good condition

5. (tr) to hinder (a person) from going to bed at night

   the excitement kept the children up well past their bedtime

6. to continue a good performance

7. to keep cheerful under difficult circumstances

8. to maintain one's stance or position against opposition or misfortune

9. to remain in contact with, esp by letter

10. informal to compete with one's neighbours in material possessions, etc

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keep up Idioms  

1. Also, keep up with . Proceed at the same pace, continue alongside another, as in We try to keep up with the times . [First half of 1600s] This usage, also put as keep pace , appears in the phrase keeping up with the Joneses , which was coined in 1913 by cartoonist Arthur R. Momand for the title of a series in the New York Globe . It means “trying to match the lifestyle of one's more affluent neighbors or acquaintances.” For example, Their buying a new van is just another attempt to keep up with the Joneses .

2. Support, sustain, as in They're trying to keep up their spirits while they wait for news of the crash . [Late 1600s] Also see keep one's chin up .

3. Maintain in good condition, as in Joan really kept up the property . [Mid-1500s] This usage also appears in the idiom keep up appearances , meaning “to maintain a good front, make things look good even if they're not,” as in She was devastated by his bad prognosis but is trying hard to keep up appearances for their children . [Mid-1700s]

4. Persevere, carry on, prolong, as in Keep up the good work , or How long will this noise keep up? [Early 1500s] Also see keep it up .

5. Also, keep up with ; keep up on . Stay in touch, remain informed. For example, Ann and I haven't seen each other since college, but we keep up through our annual Christmas letters , or We subscribe to three papers so as to keep up on current events . [c. 1900]

6. keep someone up . Cause someone to remain out of bed, as in He's keeping up the children beyond their bedtime . [Mid-1700s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

keep up

“I’m 38 years old, trying to keep up with these young bucks,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2026

The risk is that consumers’ incomes won’t be able to keep up with prices, resulting in debt, broken budgets and an inability to keep spending.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 3, 2026

You can always keep up to date with the long-range prospects by checking our latest monthly outlook.

From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2026

Consumers are scooping up the $1,999 foldable smartphone despite mixed reviews—so many that Apple can’t keep up with demand.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 2, 2026

I walked away, taking extra-big steps so she couldn’t keep up with me.

From "The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs" by Betty G. Birney

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Related Words

• hold on

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