1 B2 neutral
To record or accumulate points in a game or competition.
"By the end of the third round, she had scored up enough points to guarantee her place in the final."
separable
score up
B2 neutral separable transitive
To record or accumulate points in a game or competition, or to notch up an achievement.
In plain English
To get more points or add your points up in a game.
What does "score up" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 neutral
To mark a surface with a series of cuts or lines.
"The prisoners scored up the days on the cell wall with a sharp stone."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To score (mark) points upward on a tally — fairly transparent.
Actually means
To get more points or add your points up in a game.
Usage tip
Less common than 'rack up' or 'tally up'. More often heard in the context of card games, darts, or sports where points are physically marked. Can also mean to mark or cut a series of lines.
Words that pair with "score up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
points runs goals marks tally wins
How to conjugate "score up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
score up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
scores up
he/she/it
Past simple
scored up
yesterday
Past participle
scored up
have + pp
-ing form
scoring up
continuous
Hear "score up" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "score up" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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