What does upkeep mean?
Word: Upkeep
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Upkeep means the work and money needed to keep something, such as a building, a garden or a vehicle, in good condition.
Synonyms: care, repair
Antonyms: neglect
How do you spell upkeep?
Syllables: up - keep
Tricky part: The word is said UP-keep, with the stress on up, so the second half is easy to blur. Write keep in full, with its double e.
Watch out for: upkeap, upkep, upkepe
Memory tip: Upkeep is the cost to keep something up and running. Write up, then keep exactly as you always spell it.
Upkeep in a sentence
Example 1: The upkeep of the old house costs the family a lot every year.
Example 2: Our residents' association collects money each month for the upkeep of the garden.
Example 3: A bicycle needs very little upkeep compared with a car.
Fun Fact
Upkeep belongs to a family of English nouns made by flipping a two-word verb: keep up gives upkeep, just as break out gives outbreak and lay out gives outlay.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Makeup
Choose the correctly spelt compound word:
a) cubbord
b) handkercheif
c) upkeep
d) waterfal
Show answer
c) upkeep. Upkeep is up plus keep; cupboard, handkerchief and waterfall have each lost or swapped letters.
Word Cookie
Find the extra letter in the word:
uppkeep
a) u
b) k
c) p
d) e
Show answer
c) p. Up keeps its single p when keep is joined on.
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word:
upkeep
a) decoration
b) maintenance
c) purchase
d) ownership
Show answer
b) maintenance. Paying for upkeep means paying for maintenance, the work that keeps a thing in good order.
Mingle-Mangle
Form a meaningful word from the jumbled letters:
epkeup
a) uptake
b) upbeat
c) update
d) upkeep
Show answer
d) upkeep. Only upkeep has two p's, two e's and a k; the other three need an a, a t and a d or b.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Paying for the upkeep of a car includes ____.
a) selling it later
b) getting it serviced
c) choosing its colour
d) taking a driving test
Show answer
b) getting it serviced
2. The upkeep of the old palace is high. This tells us that ____.
a) it was built long ago
b) the building is very tall
c) repairs and care cost a lot
d) a lot of people visit it
Show answer
c) repairs and care cost a lot
