1 B1 neutral
To wear one's hair in a style where it is arranged upward, away from the neck and shoulders.
"She wore her hair up for the wedding, with just a few curls framing her face."
separable
wear up
C1 informal separable transitive
To wear one's hair arranged upward; or (non-standard) to wear out or use up completely.
In plain English
To have your hair up in a style, or to use something up completely.
What does "wear up" mean?
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To wear something in an upward direction — somewhat transparent for the hair sense.
Actually means
To have your hair up in a style, or to use something up completely.
Usage tip
Very limited and non-standard usage. The hair sense ('she wore her hair up') is common but rarely expressed as 'wear up' on its own. The 'use up' sense is largely non-standard. Learners should avoid this construction in formal writing.
Words that pair with "wear up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
hair ponytail bun completely
How to conjugate "wear up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
wear up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
wears up
he/she/it
Past simple
wore up
yesterday
Past participle
worn up
have + pp
-ing form
wearing up
continuous
Hear "wear up" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "wear 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.