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• lace-up
  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
  lace up

  verb

  (tr, adverb) to tighten or fasten (clothes or footwear) with laces

lace-up

American  

[leys-uhp] / ˈleɪsˌʌp /

noun

1. anything that laces up, especially a boot with shoelaces that lace up from the vamp to the top of the boot.

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adjective

1. having a lace that is laced up as a closure.

   a lace-up blouse.

lace up British  

verb

1. (tr, adverb) to tighten or fasten (clothes or footwear) with laces

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adjective

1. (of footwear) to be fastened with laces

noun

1. a lace-up shoe or boot

Etymology

Origin of lace-up

First recorded in 1830–40; noun and adj. use of verb phrase lace up

Example Sentences

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

Dressed in tan pants and tan lace-up moccasins with a pale blue shawl wrapped around her shoulders, she walked for a quarter of a mile before stepping off the path.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 7, 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

Mrs. Capone has a thick build, round shoulders and dark old-fashioned lace-up clothing that looks hot and uncomfortable.

From "Al Capone Does My Shirts" by Gennifer Choldenko