1 C1 neutral
To become progressively thinner or narrower toward the upper end.
"The canyon walls narrow up sharply near the summit, making the climb dangerous."
inseparable
narrow up
C1 neutral inseparable intransitive
To become thinner or more restricted toward the top or upper end; a rare, mostly technical or descriptive term.
In plain English
To get thinner or smaller as it goes up.
What does "narrow up" mean?
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To become narrow in an upward direction — largely transparent.
Actually means
To get thinner or smaller as it goes up.
Usage tip
Rare in everyday speech. Used mainly in technical, geological, or architectural descriptions. Much less common than 'narrow down'. Some speakers use 'taper' instead.
Words that pair with "narrow up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
channel passage valley tube funnel
How to conjugate "narrow up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
narrow up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
narrows up
he/she/it
Past simple
narrowed up
yesterday
Past participle
narrowed up
have + pp
-ing form
narrowing up
continuous
Hear "narrow up" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "narrow up" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "narrow up"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
constrict converge taper taper upward
Keep exploring
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