man up

British

verb

informal (intr, adverb) to adopt a stereotypically masculine approach or course of action

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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.

Firefighters then hoisted the man up by rope and paramedics took him to a local trauma center in critical condition, officials said.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 7, 2025

The next man up would be Bobby Miller, who lasted only three innings in his only major league start this season.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 2025

With Gabriel out for the season, Riccardo Calafiori injured, and Jurrien Timber and Ben White injury doubts, Kiwior could be the next man up.

From BBC • Apr. 4, 2025

"We want to score also, and to be kind of the main man up front, the one who scores all the goals. So yeah, it's probably just something that was passed on down the generations."

From BBC • Oct. 3, 2024

Maybe another eighty years, but I don’t have that and I don’t wanna man up to it right now.

From "They Both Die at the End" by Adam Silvera

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023