Pronunciation: /mæn-ʌp/

Definitions of man-up

verb to act with courage, strength, and determination in a difficult situation

Example Sentences

A1 He needs to man-up and face his fears.

A2 She told him to man-up and take responsibility for his actions.

B1 It's time for him to man-up and apologize for his mistake.

B2 In order to succeed, he must man-up and confront his weaknesses.

C1 The CEO had to man-up and make some tough decisions for the company.

C2 She had to man-up and deal with the consequences of her actions.

adjective displaying qualities traditionally associated with masculinity, such as courage and toughness

Example Sentences

A1 He needs to man-up and face his fears.

A2 She told him to man-up and take responsibility for his actions.

B1 In order to succeed in life, sometimes you need to man-up and make tough decisions.

B2 The coach encouraged the team to man-up and push through the last few minutes of the game.

C1 It takes a lot of courage to man-up and admit when you're wrong.

C2 The CEO's ability to man-up and address difficult issues head-on is what sets him apart as a leader.

Examples of man-up in a Sentence

formal It is important for individuals to take responsibility for their actions and man-up when they make a mistake.

informal Hey dude, you need to man-up and face the consequences of your actions.

slang Stop whining and just man-up already!

figurative Sometimes in life, you just have to man-up and deal with whatever comes your way.

Grammatical Forms of man-up

past tense

manned-up

plural

men-up

comparative

more manly-up

superlative

most manly-up

present tense

man-up

future tense

will man-up

perfect tense

have manned-up

continuous tense

is manning-up

singular

man-up

positive degree

very man-up

infinitive

to man-up

gerund

manning-up

participle

manning-up

Origin and Evolution of man-up

First Known Use: 1601 year
Language of Origin: English
Story behind the word: The phrase 'man-up' is believed to have originated in English-speaking countries as a colloquial expression to encourage someone, typically a man, to be brave, tough, or resilient in the face of adversity.
Evolution of the word: Over time, 'man-up' has evolved to be seen as a gendered and potentially harmful phrase, as it implies that showing vulnerability or seeking help is not masculine. There has been a push to replace it with more inclusive and supportive language.