Meaning & use
keep up with
Last updated
Meanings
phrasephrasal verb
to move fast enough to stay level with someone or something that is ahead of you
Grammar: Takes an object after 'with': keep up with the group. The object can be a person or thing.
Patterns
- keep up with someone
- keep up with something
She walked so quickly that I could hardly keep up with her.
The small boat struggled to keep up with the larger ships.
He ran faster, and the other children could not keep up with him.
phrasephrasal verb
to learn or understand the latest information about something, so you are not behind
Grammar: Often used with news, changes, or technology: keep up with the news.
Patterns
- keep up with the news
- keep up with changes
- keep up with technology
I try to keep up with the news by reading a website every morning.
It is hard to keep up with all the changes in the software.
She keeps up with the latest fashions by following designers online.
phrasephrasal verb
to continue to do something at the same speed or level as other people or as expected
Grammar: Used about work, payments, or progress: keep up with the work.
Patterns
- keep up with the work
- keep up with payments
- keep up with the class
He missed two weeks of school and found it hard to keep up with the class.
If you do not keep up with your rent payments, you may lose your home.
She works extra hours to keep up with the demands of her job.
Common combinations
- keep up with the Joneses
- They bought a bigger car just to keep up with the Joneses.
- hard to keep up with
- The pace of change is hard to keep up with.
- struggle to keep up with
- Many students struggle to keep up with the reading list.
- keep up with demand
- The factory cannot keep up with demand for the new phone.
Synonyms and how they differ
- keep pace with
- More formal and often used about speed or progress; 'keep up with' is more common in everyday speech.
- stay abreast of
- Very formal; used mainly about information or news, not physical movement.
Opposites
Word family
- keep up phrasal verb
- To continue doing something, without the idea of matching someone else's speed.
Commonly confused: keep up with or catch up with?
keep up with vs catch up with
Means to reach someone who is ahead after being behind; 'keep up with' means to stay level, not to close a gap.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence.
Choose one answer.
'Keep up with' is the correct phrasal verb here, meaning to stay level with someone. 'Keep up her' is missing 'with'; 'keep up to' and 'keep up for' are not used in this meaning.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “keep up with”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.