1
: the act of maintaining in good condition : the state of being maintained in good condition
2
: the cost of maintaining in good condition
Examples of upkeep in a Sentence
Who is responsible for the upkeep of these buildings?
Once your car gets that old, the cost of upkeep can get very expensive.
The yard requires very little upkeep.
We sold our horse because we could no longer afford its upkeep.
Recent Examples on the Web
The disaster exposed the consequences of neglect and fragmented responsibility for levee upkeep.
—
Farshid Vahedifard, The Conversation, 29 Dec. 2025
What upkeep does the bath mat require?
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 24 Dec. 2025
This daily upkeep keeps messes manageable and prevents them from accumulating to an overwhelming level.
—Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Dec. 2025
Each one echoes the spider’s proportions closely enough to pass for a real animal at a glance, suggesting a level of spatial organization and material choice that goes beyond simple web upkeep.
—New Atlas, 21 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for upkeep
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Farshid Vahedifard, The Conversation, 29 Dec. 2025
What upkeep does the bath mat require?
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 24 Dec. 2025
This daily upkeep keeps messes manageable and prevents them from accumulating to an overwhelming level.
—Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Dec. 2025
Each one echoes the spider’s proportions closely enough to pass for a real animal at a glance, suggesting a level of spatial organization and material choice that goes beyond simple web upkeep.
—New Atlas, 21 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for upkeep
Cite this Entry
“Upkeep.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upkeep. Accessed 31 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
upkeep
noun
up·keep
ˈəp-ˌkēp 
: the act or cost of maintaining in good condition : maintenance
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