show up

present singular third person shows up · participle present showing up · past showed up · participle past shown up

1. idiomaticintransitiveTo appear, arrive, or attend, especially suddenly or erratically.

   No matter how many I throw away, more copies always show up.

   3 more examples

   Please come on time; don't just show up whenever you feel like it.

   “We showed up. We showed up,” Mr. Biden said at a news conference at the United Nations summit on climate change, known as COP26, in Glasgow, Scotland. “The fact that China is trying to assert, understandably, a new role in the world as a world leader, not showing up? Huh. The single most important thing that’s gotten the attention of the world is climate.”

   2021 November 2, Jim Tankersley, Katie Rogers, Lisa Friedman, quoting Joe Biden, “With Methane and Forest Deals, Climate Summit Offers Hope After Gloomy Start”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, archived from the original on 23 Mar 2022

   That afternoon, her mother, Susan Billig, confirmed Amy didn’t make it to the gallery, so she immediately phoned the friends Amy was supposed to meet at the park. They confirmed that Amy did not show up for lunch.

   2026 July 29, Nicholas Muhoro, “Amy Billig Vanished While Hitchhiking Through Coconut Grove. Then the Calls Began”, in Skip Boring, archived from the original on 31 Jul 2026

   Synonyms: turn up

2. idiomaticintransitiveTo be easily visible; to be conspicuous.

   Stains really show up on this white tablecloth.

3. idiomatictransitiveTo make visible; to expose.

   This bright light shows up the dust in the corners of the room.

   1 more example

   I bet the Jayhawk fast break could show up the Nimrod's lack of speed.

4. idiomatictransitiveTo make visible or expose faults and deficiencies in, usually by outdoing, outperforming, or outcompeting another.

   It showed her up in her true colors.

   2 more examples

   I finished in five minutes and she showed me up by finishing in three.

   His team were not outclassed but, once again, England have reminded us of their habit of being shown up as soon as they face half-decent opposition and one or two authentic category-A footballers.

   2014 June 20, Daniel Taylor, “World Cup 2014: Uruguay sink England as Suárez makes his mark”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 08 Mar 2022

5. datedidiomaticintransitiveTo produce an impression on observers; to come off.

   A pleasing countenance showing above a suit of clothes is attractive and makes the suit show up well, while a face with a blank expression is likely to make a man say to himself, "Well if that man's clothes is going to make me look like that I don't want any of them."

   1910 October, “For Artistic Effects”, in National Lithographer