upkeep
Americannoun
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the process or activity of providing an establishment, machine, person, etc., with necessary or proper maintenance, repairs, support, or the like.
The machine's faulty operation shows that no one has attended to its upkeep.
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the total sum of the costs or expenses for this.
noun
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the act or process of keeping something in good repair, esp over a long period; maintenance
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the cost of maintenance
Etymology
Origin of upkeep
Explanation
Upkeep is the process of caring for something so that it keeps working. Changing your car's oil every 5,000 miles is an important part of its upkeep. An actor's monthly visits to the salon for highlights show how much he cares about his hair's upkeep, while a city manager's focus might be on the upkeep of roads and bridges. In either case, there's a kind of maintenance or care involved. Sometimes this noun describes something closer to "financial support," like when a divorcing couple argues about who's responsible for the upkeep of their seven poodles.
Vocabulary lists containing upkeep
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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.
You’ll still owe property taxes in two places, plus utilities and upkeep.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026
Continued investment in drainage, road upkeep, and other public services also reflects collective support for the city's everyday needs.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 30, 2026
The restoration on the Mills Act Property, which provides tax incentives to upkeep historic homes, has required an ecosystem of experts, including a colorist and curatorial rug merchant.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
He says flat owners would still have to pay towards the upkeep of their building, but they would have "much more autonomy" over decision-making under the proposals.
From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026
“But this squeamishness about work wears a bit thin when one is forced to assume his upkeep oneself.”
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
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.
