keep up
verb
kept up; keeping up; keeps up
transitive verb
: to persist or persevere in
kept up the good work
also : maintain, sustain
keep standards up
intransitive verb
1
: to keep adequately informed or up-to-date
keep up on international affairs
2
: to continue without interruption
rain kept up all night
3
: to maintain contact or relations with someone
keep up with old friends
Synonyms
- hold out
- hold up
- last
- prevail
- survive
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
let's hope that old air conditioner keeps up through this heat wave kept the house up while the owners were gone
Recent Examples on the Web But that program has been unable to keep rates affordable or keep up with the cost of claims — the same problems already plaguing Louisiana’s homeowners insurance market. 
Jon Schuppe, NBC News, 16 Sep. 2022 Unions say the pay boost would not keep up with inflation, which reached 8.3% last month. Rachel Uranga, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2022 Houston Airports' airline partners have expressed need for additional gates at both George Bush Intercontinental and William P. Hobby airports to keep up with growing demand, Bernal wrote. Ariana Garcia, Chron, 14 Sep. 2022 With point guard play not there, the Sun shooting just 21.4% (3 of 14) from 3-point range and a lack of off-ball movement throughout the night, the offense didn’t stand much of a chance to keep up with the high-powered Aces. Lila Bromberg, Hartford Courant, 14 Sep. 2022 The true tests are there and the Sox have to keep up with the other teams on their street. Peter Abraham, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Sep. 2022 Taggart is hoping his offense can keep up with its scoring pace. Jason Beede, Orlando Sentinel, 13 Sep. 2022 Blinken said the conflict was entering a critical period and urged Ukraine’s Western backers to keep up their support through what could be a difficult winter. Karl Ritter And Hanna Arhirova, Anchorage Daily News, 11 Sep. 2022 The children's mother and a neighbor called 911. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Tristan Balagtas, Peoplemag, 2 Sep. 2022 See More
Jon Schuppe, NBC News, 16 Sep. 2022 Unions say the pay boost would not keep up with inflation, which reached 8.3% last month. Rachel Uranga, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2022 Houston Airports' airline partners have expressed need for additional gates at both George Bush Intercontinental and William P. Hobby airports to keep up with growing demand, Bernal wrote. Ariana Garcia, Chron, 14 Sep. 2022 With point guard play not there, the Sun shooting just 21.4% (3 of 14) from 3-point range and a lack of off-ball movement throughout the night, the offense didn’t stand much of a chance to keep up with the high-powered Aces. Lila Bromberg, Hartford Courant, 14 Sep. 2022 The true tests are there and the Sox have to keep up with the other teams on their street. Peter Abraham, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Sep. 2022 Taggart is hoping his offense can keep up with its scoring pace. Jason Beede, Orlando Sentinel, 13 Sep. 2022 Blinken said the conflict was entering a critical period and urged Ukraine’s Western backers to keep up their support through what could be a difficult winter. Karl Ritter And Hanna Arhirova, Anchorage Daily News, 11 Sep. 2022 The children's mother and a neighbor called 911. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Tristan Balagtas, Peoplemag, 2 Sep. 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense
keep up
verb
1
as in to survive
to continue to operate or to meet one's needs let's hope that old air conditioner keeps up through this heat wave Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- survive
- last
- prevail
- hold up
- remain
- hold out
- get along
- continue
- persist
- get on
- get by
- carry on
- go
- make out
- bear up
- hang in
- manage
- hang on
- endure
- cope
- run on
- hold on
- stretch
- fare
- draw out
- abide
- persevere
- linger
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- give out
- run out
- fail
- peter (out)
- break down
- stop
- cut out
- die
- break
- fizzle
- collapse
- stall
- expire
- crash
- go out
- run down
- conk (out)
- wane
2
as in to preserve
to keep in good condition kept the house up while the owners were gone Synonyms & Similar Words
- preserve
- conserve
- maintain
- save
- protect
- defend
- restore
- service
- safeguard
- sustain
- guard
- rebuild
- care (for)
- manage
- support
- husband
- remedy
- shield
- screen
- cure
- rehabilitate
- patch
- reconstruct
- heal
- fix
- rejuvenate
- mend
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- ignore
- disregard
- neglect
- destroy
- break
- hurt
- impair
- ruin
- harm
- damage
- injure
- wreck
3
as in to remain
to remain indefinitely in existence or in the same state let's hope this beautiful weather keeps up for the rest of our vacation Synonyms & Similar Words
- remain
- last
- continue
- persist
- stay
- run on
- hold on
- hold up
- endure
- survive
- stick around
- bide
- abide
- perdure
- linger
- prevail
- carry through
- tarry
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- stop
- die
- finish
- end
- pass
- close
- wind up
- quit
- conclude
- cease
- terminate
- discontinue
- leave off
- die (down)
- expire
- lapse
- desist
- moderate
- abate
- subside
- let up
- wane
- ebb