work up to

verb

To reach by gradual effort or developments.

“Her boyfriend worked up to a marriage proposal.”

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Meanings

verbwork up to (third-person singular simple present works up to, present participle working up to, simple past and past participle worked up to)

present singular third person works up to · participle present working up to · participle past worked up to · past worked up to

  1. To reach by gradual effort or developments.

    Her boyfriend worked up to a marriage proposal.

Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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