mock-up

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A model or sample of a product, building, or page, made to show how something will look before the real one is built or finished.

   Grammar: A countable noun, often followed by of: a mock-up of the website.

   Patterns

   • a mock-up of something
   • a mock-up for someone

   The designer showed the client a mock-up of the new packaging.

   We built a cardboard mock-up of the kitchen to check the layout.

   A quick mock-up of the app helped everyone agree on the buttons.

2. 2nouncountabletechnical

   A full-size copy of equipment or a scene used for training or testing rather than for real use.

   Grammar: Used for training or testing models.

   Patterns

   • a full-scale mock-up

   Firefighters practiced in a mock-up of a smoky corridor.

   Engineers tested the doors on a full-size mock-up of the aircraft cabin.

Word forms

Common combinations

create a mock-up

She created a mock-up of the poster in an hour.

full-scale mock-up

A full-scale mock-up stood in the factory yard.

website mock-up

The website mock-up used placeholder text.

cardboard mock-up

The architect's cardboard mock-up fit on the desk.

show a mock-up

He showed a mock-up to the investors.

Synonyms and how they differ

prototype

A prototype usually works, at least partly, while a mock-up mainly shows appearance.

model

Model is the broad word for any representation, while mock-up implies an early, unfinished version for review.

draft

Draft is used for writing or plans, whereas mock-up is often a physical or visual layout.

dummy

Dummy suggests a stand-in with no function, such as in a shop display, and is less about design review.

Opposites

Word family

mock up verb

to make a model or rough version of something

mock adjective

not real, made as an imitation

mocked-up adjective

built as a quick model

Commonly confused: mock-up or mockup?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “mock-up”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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