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Glite Dictionary
to save up

to save up

87 2.6
To put money aside little by little for something you want
  • phrasal verb
  • /seɪv ʌp/
translation icon : ahorrar para
  • So I started working, saving up to get a flight.

So if that is important to you, save up, invest.

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Examples

  • I saved up a little money.

    Blue Like Jazz (2012)

  • Work some more before then, try to save up some money, at least.

    Boyhood (2014)

  • Do you know how long it took me to save up for that?

    7 Seconds (2005)

  • What we're gonna do, see, we're gonna save up a while longer.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • I will work as hard as I can to save up, but I have a question!

    Blog text (3)

  • "We'll save up and get our own boat for next year," he said.

    Fiction book (1999)

  • Step three, you save up three to six months of living expenses.

  • Decided to stay here for a couple years and pay off all my debt and save up for my sister's college tuition.

  • Well, we've almost saved up enough.

    Here (2024)

  • I am trying to save up enough money to buy a new laptop.

Synonyms

to save
vsto save up
∞ 1.0

Keep something for use later

involves gradual collection aimed at a specific future purpose
to save money
vsto save up
257 1.3

To put money aside instead of spending it now

focuses on gradual collection for a specific planned purpose
to set aside
vsto save up
87 3.4

Save money or time for a special purpose

focuses on gradual accumulation over time for a defined goal
to squirrel away
vsto save up
  • Informal
4 5.3

To save money or things over time, often secretly

is about steady collection openly for a planned future use
to lay aside
vsto save up
1 3.5

Save money for future use

aims specifically at collecting gradually for a planned goal
to lay away
vsto save up
1 4.7

To save money or keep goods for later

emphasizes gradual collection toward a specific future purpose
to salt away
vsto save up
  • Informal
1 6.7

To save money little by little to use later

focuses on steady collection for a specific planned purpose rather than secrecy

Antonyms

to spend
∞ 1.0

To give money to buy something or pay for services

to waste
∞ 1.0

To use or spend something carelessly and without good reason

How Much

to hoard
45 4.8
to amass
66 4.8
to accumulate
174 3.4
to save up
87 2.6
to put aside
24 2.4

Surface Forms

save up infinitive
saved up past
saved up past participle
saving up present participle
saves up third person singular

Morphology

save + up

The meaning 'to gradually collect or put aside money' is directly derivable from combining 'save' (to keep or reserve) with the particle 'up' (marking accumulation/increase or completion). This verb+particle composition is a common, predictable pattern in English, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will typically understand the expression.

Etymology

Save up comes from the image of someone putting money into a jar a little at a time: you save coins and put them up or away until there is enough. So, it means 'to gradually put aside money for something you want later'.