Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
📝 To prepare formally 📰 To report publicly
to write up

to write up

14 4.3
Make a report about someone that appears in news or an official file
  • phrasal verb
  • /raɪt ʌp/
  • Literature
translation icon : escribir sobre
  • I heard about the book because it was written up in an antiques magazine.
  • get written up

We had maybe a significant portfolio in some people's mind, but but not one that you would see written up in the New York Times or something.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • She'd been written up in New Art Examiner.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • But Women's Wear had written up her show and called it "just a bit tired," and accused her of "recycling."

    Fiction book (1994)

  • Perhaps I shall see it written up somewhere.

    Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1972)

  • If you have something written up on this, I'd enjoy seeing it.

    Blog text (25)

  • Disciplinary problems were so rare that some inmates never got written up.

    Academic text (2000)

  • Here's a link to his piece and a really useful hypothetical dialogue he wrote up to illustrate it.

    Blog text (11)

  • Susan Scafidi wrote up the exhibition on her Counterfeit Chic blog back then, here.

    Blog text (8)

  • The journalist will write up the interview with the celebrity for the magazine next month.

  • After the conference, she plans to write up her findings for publication in a scientific journal.

  • The blogger wrote up her experiences during the trip, sharing both the highlights and challenges.

Synonyms

to write about
vsto write up
620 2.1

Give details in words about a topic, for example in a book or article

seeks to bring that subject to public notice through published text
to publicize
vsto write up
94 4.0

Make something known to many people using news or social media

does this specifically by means of published text rather than other methods
to write on
vsto write up
34 3.6

To produce texts like articles or books about a subject

aims to bring topics to public notice by producing text

Antonyms

to conceal
282 3.7

To hide something so others cannot see or find it

How Publicized

to publicize
94 4.0
to feature
748 3.1
to write up
  • Literature
14 4.3
to write about
620 2.1
to mention
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

write up infinitive
wrote up past
written up past participle
writing up present participle
writes up third person singular

Morphology

write + up

The verb 'write' combined with the particle 'up' can be partially interpreted by a B1 learner because 'up' often adds a completive/intensifying or promotive sense (e.g., write something fully, produce a formal account), so the idea of producing a written report is reasonably derivable. However, the specific sense 'to bring someone or something to public notice by writing about them' (i.e. reporting/publicising with praise or criticism) is more idiomatic and not fully predictable from the parts without prior exposure, so it is only partially transparent.

Etymology

Write up comes from writing a full note about someone or something and putting it up where others will see it or into an official file. Imagine a reporter writing an article that makes someone known or a manager filing a formal note about an employee. That's why it can mean 'to bring someone or something to public notice by writing about them' or 'to make an official written record'.