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Meaning & use

suit up

verb·Everydayinformal

Last updated

UK/ˌsuːt ˈʌp/
US/ˌsut ˈʌp/

Meanings

  1. verbphrasal verbAmerican

    Put on special clothing or protective equipment before an activity, such as a uniform, armor or a spacesuit.

    Grammar: No object: the team suits up before the game; also suit up for something.

    Patterns

    • suit up for something
    • suit up in something

    The players suit up in the locker room an hour before kickoff.

    Firefighters suited up and rushed toward the burning building.

    Please suit up before you enter the lab.

  2. verbphrasal verbinformal

    Put on a formal business suit, often to show that one is ready to take something seriously.

    Grammar: No object; often used playfully: Time to suit up for the interview.

    Patterns

    • suit up for something

    He suited up for the job interview and arrived early.

    We all had to suit up for the board meeting.

    Dad suits up every morning, even when he works from home.

Word forms

third person singularsuits up
past tensesuited up
past participlesuited up
-ing formsuiting up

Common combinations

suit up for the game
The injured star was well enough to suit up for the game.
suit up in armor
The knights suit up in armor for the festival.
suit up and go
We suited up and went out into the snow.
time to suit up
It's almost six, so it's time to suit up.
suit up for work
She suits up for work in a dark blazer.

Synonyms and how they differ

gear up
Gear up is broader and means prepare with equipment or in spirit, while suit up is about actually putting on clothing.
dress up
Dress up means wear smarter or fancier clothes, but not necessarily a uniform or gear.
get ready
Get ready is general and could be any preparation, whereas suit up points to clothing or equipment.
don
Don is formal and needs an object, as in don a helmet, whereas suit up is informal and has no object.

Opposites

strip downchange out of

Word family

suit noun
a matching jacket and trousers or skirt, or special clothing for an activity
suited adjective
wearing a suit, or appropriate for something
suit verb
to be convenient or look good on someone
suiting noun
fabric used to make suits

Commonly confused: suit up or suit up?

suit up vs suit up

Do not confuse it with suit someone, meaning to look good on or be convenient for them: that color suits you.

Practice

The astronauts ____ before they climbed into the capsule.

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