as in developing
to produce or bring about especially by long or repeated effort
spent years working up a period novel that was historically accurate in every detail
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Recent Examples of working up
After working up an appetite in the more temperate months, meals can be taken at the outdoor dining pavilion alongside the home.
—
Tori Latham, Robb Report, 26 Jan. 2026
To this day, working up a mess of beans soothes and centers me.
—Sheri Castle, Southern Living, 21 Aug. 2025
Tori Latham, Robb Report, 26 Jan. 2026
To this day, working up a mess of beans soothes and centers me.
—Sheri Castle, Southern Living, 21 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for working up
Verb
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In the future, it could be used for developing high-performance, sustainable materials for everything from aerospace engineering to advanced protective gear.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Feb. 2026
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This is a developing story and has been updated.—
Anna Chernova,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Together with Shaway Yeh, then group style editorial director of Modern Media, Lim transformed Modern Weekly, a regional lifestyle weekly founded by the Chinese entrepreneur Thomas Shao in 1993, into a Chinese media powerhouse known for forging creative ties with both global and Asian creatives.—
Denni Hu,
Footwear News,
11 Feb. 2026
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But without a finished 10th novel to work from (Gabaldon is currently in progress on her final Outlander volume, called A Blessing for a Warrior Going Out), Roberts and team had to toe a fine line between honoring the essence of the book series and forging their own path forward.—
Amy Wilkinson,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The company has compared the cost of creating a biodrone to that of building a conventional unmanned aerial vehicle, emphasizing that birds require no battery recharging and can fly farther in a single day.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Feb. 2026
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Her daughter, Nina Greipel, fulfilled a promise to patrons by creating a cookbook of the restaurant's recipes.—
Amanda Hancock,
Louisville Courier Journal,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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For the past two decades or so, Zurek has been working out how that happens.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
13 Feb. 2026
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Some of them lived together, were working out together.—
Matt Zahn,
CBS News,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The mayor has faced challenges with hammering out a compromise between the Black and Latino caucuses for the influential role; now Lawson, who is white, could be poised to clinch the spot.—
Alice Yin,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Feb. 2026
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The statement said that Patagonia and Pattie Gonia—who uses female pronouns—spent several years hammering out an agreement over the activist’s use of the brand’s name.—
Frederick Dreier,
Outside,
23 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Working up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/working%20up. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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