Jump To:

• 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  

[lays-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.

---

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

---

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

See Examples For:

lace-up lace up

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

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

She points down to a pair of white lace-up shoes on her feet — something they gave her.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 12, 2023

It’s a slow, quiet afternoon until Phyllis’s dad walks in carrying a pair of brown lace-up dress shoes.

From "Betty Before X" by Ilyasah Shabazz and Renée Watson

And somewhere in that crowd will be a youngster attending their first fight, watching two of Britain's most recognisable sportsmen walk out and perhaps deciding they want to lace up a pair of gloves themselves.

From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026

Harding challenged Dudamel to a race around the bases, but before the pair could lace up their cleats, Dudamel quickly told him, “You will win.”

From Los Angeles Times ● May 28, 2026

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

So lace up your walking shoes, throw on some shades and start strutting to the beat of this playlist.

From New York Times ● May 21, 2024

And he bent to lace up his tennis shoes.

From "The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---