1 B1 neutral
A physical instruction to raise the chest and maintain upright, confident posture.
"The drill sergeant barked, 'Chest up, shoulders back — you look like you're half asleep!'"
inseparable
chest up
B2 neutral inseparable intransitive
An instruction to raise the chest and stand or sit with good posture, used in exercise, coaching, or encouragement.
In plain English
To lift up the front of your body and stand tall — showing confidence or good posture.
What does "chest up" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic informal
Figuratively, to project confidence, pride, or courage in one's bearing.
"After a disappointing loss, the coach told the players to chest up and walk back onto that field with their heads high."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To raise the chest upward — transparent in physical contexts.
Actually means
To lift up the front of your body and stand tall — showing confidence or good posture.
Usage tip
Used in physical training as a posture cue, and figuratively to encourage confidence or pride. More common in coaching, military, and fitness contexts. The figurative sense is less frequent than the physical one.
Words that pair with "chest up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
posture confidence training shoulders stance form
How to conjugate "chest up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
chest up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
chests up
he/she/it
Past simple
chested up
yesterday
Past participle
chested up
have + pp
-ing form
chesting up
continuous
Hear "chest up" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "chest up" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
Jump to every phrasal verb built on the same verb, particle, or level.