To demonstrate courage, emotional strength, or responsibility, especially when facing difficulty; often used as an imperative.
Be brave and stop complaining about something hard.
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
To show courage, strength, or determination in the face of a difficult or frightening situation.
"You need to man up and tell your boss that you disagree with the decision."
Man up. Say it to your president.
— Michelle Obama, campaign speech, 2016 (widely reported)
To accept responsibility for one's actions or obligations, especially when one would prefer to avoid them.
"He needed to man up and apologise to everyone he had hurt."
To become more of a man — the idiomatic meaning retains this core idea of stereotypically male toughness.
Be brave and stop complaining about something hard.
Widely used but increasingly criticised for reinforcing toxic masculinity and gender stereotypes. Many speakers now prefer gender-neutral alternatives like 'toughen up' or 'step up'. Primarily used as a direct imperative.
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Listen to native speakers using "man up" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
Jump to every phrasal verb built on the same verb, particle, or level.