Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
to live up to

to live up to

222 3.5
To meet what people expect of you
  • phrasal verb
  • /lɪv ʌp tu/
: estar a la altura de
  • The new restaurant's food didn't live up to the hype surrounding it.
  • live up to expectations
  • fail to live up to
  • live up to ideals

How will I ever live up to these people's standards?

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • I'll try to live up to your expectations!

    Roman Candle (2021)

  • No one can live up to your expectations of them.

    Rob Moore

  • So, yeah, this, this does not really live up to those claims at all.

  • We have a lot to live up to.

    Man of the Year (2006)

  • Ms. L described him as bright but often not living up to his potential.

    Academic text (2013)

  • And to live up to that principle, I have to live up to that mission.

  • How will I ever live up to these people's standards?

    Lex Fridman

  • So let's see if it lives up to that reputation.

    Gregory B. Sadler - That Philosophy Guy

  • Whether Schneider's methods will live up to their initial promise remains to be seen.

    Academic text (1996)

  • Our problem, both individually and collectively, has always been in living up to those principles.

    Academic text (1995)

Synonyms

to meet
vsto live up to
814 1.3

To satisfy a rule or need

is about matching people's expectations in quality or conduct
to fulfill
vsto live up to
  • US
388 2.8

To do what is required or promised

is about reaching expected standards rather than just completing tasks
to satisfy
vsto live up to
87 2.8

Meet a rule or requirement

is focused on matching expectations rather than only completing demands
to measure up
vsto live up to
  • Informal
40 3.7

To be as good as expected or needed

is about carrying out promises or duties rather than general adequacy
to measure up to
vsto live up to
18 3.8

To be good enough to meet a standard or expectation

is about matching people's hopes rather than only following technical rules
to hold up to
vsto live up to
11 4.1

Be as good as people expect

is about reaching expectations in a single action rather than lasting quality
to come up to
vsto live up to
7 3.7

To reach the level needed

is more about doing well to match reputations or promises

Antonyms

to fail
725 1.0

Not do something you promised or should do

How Well

to live up to
222 3.5
to measure up
  • Informal
40 3.7
to fall short
91 3.9

Surface Forms

live up to infinitive

Morphology

live + up + to

The meaning 'to meet or fulfil expectations' is only partially predictable from the parts: 'live' can extend to 'behave' and 'up to' suggests reaching a standard, so a learner may get a general sense. However the specific idiomatic sense is a metaphorical extension of 'live' and requires knowledge of the phrasal pattern, so it is not fully transparent to a B1 learner.

Etymology

The expression live up to gives a clear image: to live 'up' to a high mark on a wall, you must reach the same level as that mark. So live up to means 'to meet or reach what people expect'.