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towel up

C1 neutral mixed transitive/intransitive

to wrap, rub, or dry with a towel

In plain English

use a towel to cover or dry something

What does "towel up" mean?

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

1 C1 neutral

to dry yourself or someone with a towel

"After the rain, we hurried inside and toweled up."

mixed
2 C1 neutral

to wrap someone or something in a towel or towels

"She toweled the child up after the swim."

separable
Usage tip

Rare and less standard than 'towel off'. It may mean dry with a towel or wrap in towels, depending on context.

Words that pair with "towel up"

Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.

hair baby dog body wet clothes after a shower

How to conjugate "towel up"

The five tense forms you'll use most often.

Base
towel up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
towels up
he/she/it
Past simple
toweled up
yesterday
Past participle
toweled up
have + pp
-ing form
toweling up
continuous

Hear "towel up" in the wild

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

Other ways to say "towel up"

Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.

dry with a towel rub dry towel off wrap in a towel

Keep exploring

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