up to

preposition

1

—used as a function word to indicate extension as far as a specified place

sank up to his knees in the mud

2

—used as a function word to indicate a limit or boundary

up to 50,000 copies a month

worked up to the last minute

Examples of up to in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This all-inclusive luxury villa would be ideal for groups of friends or a family that want their own private retreat, as the villa can sleep up to 14 people. —Meagan Drillinger, Travel + Leisure, 26 May 2024

Wind gusts of up to 40 mph and nickel-sized hail (0.88 inches) are expected. —Star-Telegram Bot, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

up to

preposition

1

: as far as a named part or place

sank up to my hips

2

: in accordance with

the game was not up to our standards

3

a

: to the limit of

come in sizes up to 10

b

: as many or as much as

carry up to 10 tons

4

: until entry 1, till

from dawn up to dusk