Meaning & use
stocked up
Last updated
“stocked up” is a form of “stock up”.
Meaning
verbintransitive
bought a large amount of something so that you have enough for later.
Grammar: No object; used with 'on' before the thing you buy: 'stocked up on food'. Also used without 'on': 'We stocked up before the storm.'
Patterns
- stock up on something
- stocked up with something
We stocked up on bottled water before the hurricane arrived.
She stocked up on canned food because it was on sale.
They stocked up for the winter and didn't need to go shopping for weeks.
Word forms
| base form | stock up |
|---|---|
| third person singular | stocks up |
| present participle | stocking up |
| past tense | stocked up |
| past participle | stocked up |
Common combinations
- stock up on food
- We stocked up on food before the long holiday.
- stock up for the winter
- Many animals stock up for the winter.
- stock up with supplies
- The team stocked up with supplies for the expedition.
Synonyms and how they differ
- hoard
- Hoard suggests secretly storing things, often selfishly; 'stock up' is neutral and just means buying enough for future use.
- buy in bulk
- Buying in bulk means buying large quantities at once, usually for a discount; 'stock up' focuses on having enough for later, not on the price.
Opposites
Word family
- stock noun
- A supply of something kept for future use.
Commonly confused: stocked up or stuck up?
stocked up vs stuck up
'Stuck up' is an adjective meaning arrogant or snobbish. 'Stocked up' means you have bought a lot of something. They sound similar but have completely different meanings.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence:
Choose one answer.
The phrasal verb 'stock up' is followed by 'on' before the items you buy: 'stock up on snacks'. 'Stock up with' is possible but less common; 'stock up for' is used with events or seasons, not the items themselves.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “stocked up”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.