Phrase guide

write up

verb · 9 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • rīt′ ŭp′
  • Canada, General-American, Received-Pronunciation, Scotland: /ˈɹaɪ̯t ˌʌp/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈɹʌɪ̯t ˌʌp/
  • Scotland: /ˈɹʌi̯t ˌʌp/
  • Scotland: /ˈɹəi̯t ˌʌp/
  • Australian, New-Zealand: /ˈɹɑe̯t ˌɐp/
  • India: /ˈɾaɪ̯ʈ ˌəp/
  • India: /ˈɾajʈ ˌəp/

1

verb

Meaning 1

To produce by writing.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • The supervisor wrote up the personnel report about him.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: write down, record, transcribe

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To document officially the faults, offenses, or wrongdoing of.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • Near-synonym: cite
  • His supervisor wrote him up after their last argument.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: write down, cite

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To write about positively; to praise in writing.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • Near-synonym: talk up
  • The paper wrote up the team's prospects.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: talk up

Antonyms: write down

4

verb

Meaning 4

To make an upward adjustment in the value of an asset.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Topics: accounting, business, finance

Examples

  • The company decided to write up its property assets after an independent appraisal showed their market value had increased significantly.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: write down, devalue

5

verb

Meaning 5

To annotate a stamp album page with details about the stamp, such as die used or colour variety.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Topics: hobbies, lifestyle, philately

Examples

  • She carefully wrote up each stamp in her collection, noting the Scott catalog number, perforation gauge, and printing plate variety.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see write, up.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • I can't write up in the attic; it's too cold there in the winter and too hot there in the summer.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

a short account of the news

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the report of his speech
  • the story was on the 11 o'clock news
  • the account of his speech that was given on the evening news made the governor furious

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: report, news report, story, account

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: news

Narrower terms: newsletter, newssheet, bulletin, dispatch, despatch, communique, urban legend, exclusive, scoop

8

verb

Meaning 8

bring to public notice by writing, with praise or condemnation

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The New York Times wrote him up last week
  • Did your boss write you up?

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: write

9

verb

Meaning 9

put into writing; write in complete form

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • write out a contract

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: write out

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: write, compose, pen, indite

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

9 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: запи́свам (zapísvam) — to produce by writing
  • Bulgarian: запи́ша (zapíša) — to produce by writing
  • Polish: rozpisywać — to produce by writing
  • Polish: rozpisać — to produce by writing
  • Polish: napisać — to produce by writing
  • Polish: spisywać — to produce by writing
  • Polish: spisać — to produce by writing
  • Polish: sporządzać — to produce by writing
  • Polish: sporządzić — to produce by writing