1 B1 neutral
To fill or block a hole or gap in order to prevent leakage or flow
"He used waterproof sealant to plug up the cracks in the basement wall."
separable
plug up
B1 neutral separable transitive
To block or seal a hole, gap, or opening to prevent something from flowing through
In plain English
To stuff something into a hole to stop water, air, or anything else from getting through
What does "plug up" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 neutral
To become or cause something to become blocked
"The drain had plugged up completely with grease and had to be professionally cleared."
separable
3 B2 idiomatic neutral
To close a loophole or address a shortfall in a plan, budget, or system
"The new legislation aims to plug up the tax loopholes that large corporations have been exploiting."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To fill a hole with a plug
Actually means
To stuff something into a hole to stop water, air, or anything else from getting through
Usage tip
Can refer to physical holes, drains, or pipes, as well as metaphorical gaps such as budget shortfalls or loopholes. Common in everyday informal English for describing plumbing or DIY tasks.
Words that pair with "plug up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
hole drain leak gap crack pipe loophole
How to conjugate "plug up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
plug up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
plugs up
he/she/it
Past simple
pluged up
yesterday
Past participle
pluged up
have + pp
-ing form
pluging up
continuous
Hear "plug up" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "plug 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.