lace-up
noun
anything that laces up, especially a boot with shoelaces that lace up from the vamp to the top of the boot.
lace-up
American
[leys-uhp]
/ ˈleɪsˌʌp /
noun
adjective
lace up
British
verb
adjective
noun
Etymology
Origin of lace-up
First recorded in 1830–40; noun and adj. use of verb phrase lace up
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.
See Examples For:
She took off her white coat to reveal a second outfit, this time a deep maroon dress with a lace-up back.
From BBC ● May 4, 2026
She steers brides who are taking GLP-1s toward more forgiving silhouettes, for instance suggesting dresses with adjustable lace-up backs instead of zippers, and prefers cuts that flare at the waist to help mask weight fluctuations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 25, 2026
Photos posted by the website show the elder Obama daughter, a Harvard grad and rising screenwriter, wearing chunky, black boots, patterned pants and a sheer lace-up top.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2023
For the last few years, every pair of men’s lace-up shoes I’ve purchased has had some messed-up laces.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 12, 2023
Instead of his usual muddy boots, he wore lace-up black shoes buffed and shiny.
From "Wish" by Barbara O'Connor
He suggests reading between the lines: If an email offers a starting time for sign-ups, but no end time, it may be because organizers expect things to go quickly, suggesting it’s time to lace up.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 8, 2026
“We can do this. I’m more optimistic than ever. So lace up your Chucks, hit the doors, make room at the table, and let’s get it done.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2024
In the high society of 1880s New York, even plucky, forward-thinking heroines were expected to lace up tight for potential suitors.
From New York Times ● Dec. 13, 2023
He still has a strong desire to lace up his cleats and get involved.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 21, 2023
We went in the shoe department and we pretended she--old Phoebe-- wanted to get a pair of those very high storm shoes, the kind that have about a million holes to lace up.
From "The Catcher in the Rye" by J. D. Salinger
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.
