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team up

A2 neutral inseparable intransitive

To join together with one or more other people to work toward a common goal.

In plain English

To join with other people to work together on something.

What does "team up" mean?

2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.

1 A2 neutral

To join with another person or group to work together toward a shared goal.

"The two companies decided to team up to develop the new technology."

inseparable
2 A2 neutral

To be paired with someone in a game, class, or activity.

"For the next exercise, team up with someone you haven't worked with before."

inseparable

Literal vs figurative

Words literally mean

To form (join up into) a team.

Actually means

To join with other people to work together on something.

Usage tip

Very common in business, sports, and everyday contexts. Often followed by 'with' to specify the partner. Has a positive, energetic connotation. Common in news headlines about business partnerships and celebrity collaborations.

Words that pair with "team up"

Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.

partner organisation company friends charity rival celebrity

How to conjugate "team up"

The five tense forms you'll use most often.

Base
team up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
teams up
he/she/it
Past simple
teamed up
yesterday
Past participle
teamed up
have + pp
-ing form
teaming up
continuous

Hear "team up" in the wild

Listen to native speakers using "team up" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.

Keep exploring

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