live up
B1 neutral inseparable transitive
In simple words
To be as good as people expected, or to do what you promised.
Literal meaning: To rise up to meet a level set above — 'up' implies elevation toward a standard.
Meanings
1 B1
idiomatic
neutral
To be as good as or match a standard, expectation, or reputation that others have set.
"The new restaurant has a lot of hype to live up to."
Grammar: inseparable
2 B1
idiomatic
neutral
To honour or fulfil a promise, commitment, or ideal.
"The government must live up to its promises on healthcare reform."
"America has not always lived up to its ideals."
— Barack Obama, speech to the United Nations General Assembly, September 2013
Grammar: inseparable
Usage notes
Virtually never used as 'live up' alone in standard English — the prepositional phrase 'to' is always required. Can be used negatively ('failed to live up to') or positively ('lived up to the hype'). Very common in reviews, evaluations, and everyday conversation.
Commonly used with
expectations hype promise reputation potential name
Forms
Base
live up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
lives up
he/she/it
Past simple
lived up
yesterday
Past participle
lived up
have + pp
-ing form
living up
continuous
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Synonyms
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