brush up

verb

brushed up; brushing up; brushes up
Synonyms of brush upnext

transitive verb

1
: to improve or polish as if by brushing
2
: to renew one's skill in
brush up your Spanish

intransitive verb

: to refresh one's memory : renew one's skill
brush up on math
brushup noun

Examples of brush up in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Kansas City is brushing up on its interpretive skills, preparing to welcome and accommodate visitors of all tongues for the world’s largest sporting event. Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 4 June 2026 Mpox does not spread through incidental contact like brushing up against someone on a crowded train car, or shopping in the same store. Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 28 May 2026 What exactly the endgame of this road trip is doesn’t quite crystallize onscreen, leaving gaps and missing bookends that might encourage you to brush up on your European postwar history. Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 14 May 2026 With just a few hours to go before the Met Gala 2026 takes over your feeds, brush up with our guide to all the details. Vanity Fair, 4 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for brush up

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1600, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of brush up was circa 1600

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Brush up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brush%20up. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

brush up

verb
: to refresh one's memory, skill, or knowledge
brush up on your Spanish

More from Merriam-Webster on brush up

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster