1 C1 idiomatic informal
To deceive or take advantage of someone, especially through dishonesty.
"He was afraid the car dealer was trying to put up on him by hiding the real condition of the vehicle."
inseparable
put up on
C1 informal inseparable transitive
To deceive, cheat, or take advantage of someone (chiefly regional American English).
In plain English
To cheat or trick someone, especially by taking advantage of their trust.
What does "put up on" mean?
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
Usage tip
A regional American English expression, particularly found in Southern and Appalachian dialects. Rare in standard written English. Likely related to 'put one over on.' Not widely understood outside its regional area.
Words that pair with "put up on"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
me him her the customer anyone people
How to conjugate "put up on"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
put up on
I/you/we/they
3rd person
puts up on
he/she/it
Past simple
put up on
yesterday
Past participle
put up on
have + pp
-ing form
putting up on
continuous
Hear "put up on" in the wild
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Other ways to say "put up on"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
cheat con deceive swindle take advantage of
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