mug up

verb

To study intensely.

“You need to mug up Tennyson for this class.”

Similar
bone upbuff upcramgrind awaydrumswotget upswot up
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

verbmug up (third-person singular simple present mugs up, present participle mugging up, simple past and past participle mugged up)

present singular third person mugs up · participle present mugging up · participle past mugged up · past mugged up

  1. intransitiveslangtransitiveTo study intensely.

    You need to mug up Tennyson for this class.

    1 more example

    I mugged up on the meaning of road signs before taking my driving test.

    Synonyms: bone up, buff up, cram

  2. intransitiveobsoleteslangentertainmentTo paint one's face or put on a costume for the purpose of impersonation.

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo study intensely.

Similar
bone upbuff upcram

More synonyms by meaning

verbstudy intensively, as before an exam

Similar
cramgrind awaydrumbone upswotget upswot upbone
Broader
studyhit the books
Also see
bonebone upcramdrumget upswot

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Cite this entry
APA

mug up. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mug%20up

MLA

“mug up.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mug%20up. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “mug up,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mug%20up.

Source: mug up on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.