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Glite Dictionary
to whore up

to whore up

1 9.9
To act in a way that goes against your values to get money or attention
  • phrasal verb
  • /hɔr ʌp/
  • Offensive
translation icon : prostituir
  • He decided to whore up his reputation for money.

Examples

  • Many companies whore up their products with flashy marketing to attract more customers.

  • Some celebrities are willing to whore up their personal lives for publicity.

  • He refused to whore up his art just to make more money.

  • Don't whore up your integrity just for fame!

  • He started to whore up his achievements to impress his boss.

  • Many influencers whore up their lifestyles to attract more followers.

  • She refused to whore up her integrity for a quick promotion.

Synonyms

to pander
vsto whore up
58 8.6

To do or say what people want to please them, even when it is wrong

focuses on seeking personal advantage by promoting or compromising values rather than pleasing others
to whore
vsto whore up
  • Offensive
16 9.9

To sell yourself for money or personal gain

adds promoting or exaggerating values for gain rather than only selling principles
to whore oneself out
vsto whore up
  • Offensive
2 9.9

To give up your values for money or fame

focuses on promoting or exaggerating values to gain advantage rather than trading dignity
to whore your talent
vsto whore up
  • Offensive
9.9

To use your skill for money in ways that feel wrong or cheap

treats a wider set of values, including promotion or exaggeration for personal gain

How Compromised

to whore up
  • Offensive
1 9.9
to pander
58 8.6
to exploit
214 5.6
to commercialize
  • US
18 6.7

Surface Forms

whore up infinitive
whoring up present participle
whores up third person singular
whored up past
whored up past participle

Morphology

whore + up

The verb 'whore' (to sell or betray one's principles) plus the particle 'up' (which commonly intensifies or completes an action) makes the general idea of compromising or aggressively promoting oneself for gain reasonably inferable from the parts. However, the expression is slang/taboo and the exact pragmatic senses (e.g. promote/exaggerate/reputation-selling) are idiomatic and context-dependent, so a B1 learner would only partially predict the full meaning without exposure.

Etymology

The phrasal verb whore up uses the image of a whore selling herself for money and the word up to show doing it openly or fully. That picture explains why it means 'to sell out' — to make yourself or your work less honest or to give up what you believe in for money or attention.