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."
inseparable
live up
B1 neutral inseparable transitive
Almost always used as 'live up to': to reach or match an expected standard or promise.
In plain English
To be as good as people expected, or to do what you promised.
What does "live up" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
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
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To rise up to meet a level set above — 'up' implies elevation toward a standard.
Actually means
To be as good as people expected, or to do what you promised.
Usage tip
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.
Words that pair with "live up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
expectations hype promise reputation potential name
How to conjugate "live up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
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
Hear "live up" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "live up" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "live up"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
Keep exploring
Jump to every phrasal verb built on the same verb, particle, or level.