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show up

verb
showed up; shown up or showed up; showing up; shows up

Definition of show up

transitive verb

1 : to expose or discredit especially by revealing faults showed them up as frauds … it showed him up for the irrelevant and offensive person he really is…— Owen Bennett
2 : to embarrass or cause to look bad especially by comparison trying to show up the boss The offensive line has been sub par with the defensive line showing them up for at least a few days.— James Anderson
3 : reveal showed up my ignorance

intransitive verb

1a : arrive, appear showed up late for his own wedding Hundreds of tourists showed up, wearing bright sweaters, even though it was warm.— Tony Earley
b : to become involved with others and make an active contribution But what we have to remind ourselves, and each other, is that our democracy only works for us if we show up.— America Ferrera also : to provide help and support for someone If you're in a position to defend and protect someone who is a victim of abuse, then do it… Show up for them. — Sa'iyda Shabazz
2 : to be plainly evident … [Woody Hayes] cared so much about people. That showed up in the way he did things in the community, the way he lent his name to charity events.— Kyle Rowland
Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about show up

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Examples of show up in a Sentence

normally, one doesn't see them, but the actress's wrinkles show up in the close-ups the band showed up an hour late

Recent Examples on the Web

 Traditional answers — showing up early and often, wooing local activists, and buying television advertising — still apply. — James Pindell, BostonGlobe.com, "This time, the road to N.H. might run through Iowa," 6 Sep. 2019 Sunde did not show up for an Aug. 28 court appearance. — Evan Frank, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "A Waukesha County judge sets bail at $250,000 for the woman involved in the I-94 police standoff," 4 Sep. 2019 Among those showing up at the vigil Monday evening was Austin District police Cmdr. — Alice Yin, chicagotribune.com, "15-year-old killed near Austin home dreamed of playing for White Sox: ‘I see the little boy, and I remember that forever’," 3 Sep. 2019 There were reports of police showing up at several schools to search striking students, while staff of two major hospitals held sit-ins in support of the student strike. — Time Staff, Time, "Students Boycott Classes on the First Day of the School Year in Hong Kong's Latest Democracy Protest," 2 Sep. 2019 Deputy District Attorney Melissa Marrero said her office has videos of Kramer and others showing up at the bar looking for a fight. — oregonlive, "Judge won’t lower bail for man charged with attacking woman during Patriot Prayer-antifa clash outside Portland bar," 30 Aug. 2019 Ben Swimm of Brown Dog Farm says the unprecedented summer weather has more crops showing up earlier than expected, including onions, leeks, winter squash and pumpkins. — Steve Edwards, Anchorage Daily News, "Here’s what will be at farmers markets over Labor Day weekend," 29 Aug. 2019 And soon, Alexandria Sheriff Dana Lawhorne and a deputy showed up at the family’s house to play with Whitaker and, in secret, talk to his parents about logistics. — Theresa Vargas, Washington Post, "Between his first birthday and his fourth, his family went from fearing a funeral to planning an ‘incredible’ surprise," 28 Aug. 2019 Two shaggy, dirty prospectors showed up in a San Francisco bank one foggy morning with a pouch of raw diamonds. — Tom Noel, The Know, "16 strange, spooky and (mostly) true Colorado stories to tell around a campfire," 24 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'show up.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of show up

1812, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

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More Definitions for show up

showup

noun
show·​up | \ ˈshō-ˌəp\

Legal Definition of showup

: a presentation of a criminal defendant or arrestee individually to a witness for identification — compare lineup

Note: A showup identification may withstand a due process challenge when there is an emergency situation, when the presentation is accidental, or when otherwise the totality of the circumstances render it justifiable.

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