Move sb up Meaning, Examples & How to Use in English

What Does “move sb up” Mean?

“Move sb up” means to change someone’s position to a higher rank, level, or place, often in an organization or list.

Introduction

The phrase “move sb up” is commonly used in English to describe advancing someone to a better position or higher level. This could be at work, in competitions, or even on waiting lists. Understanding the move sb up meaning helps learners recognize how to talk about promotions, improvements, or rearrangements involving people. Whether you want to discuss being promoted at your job or changing someone’s place in a queue, this phrasal verb is very useful. It is simple but effective in everyday communication.

Quick Info Box

• Phrasal verb: move sb up (move somebody up)
• Type: transitive
• Level: B1 (Intermediate)
• Short meaning: To promote or advance someone to a higher position or level

Structure (Grammar Rules)

“Move sb up” is a separable phrasal verb. This means you can place the object (sb) between “move” and “up” or after the whole phrasal verb.

• move somebody up
• move up somebody

Both forms are correct, but placing the object between the verb and particle is more common.

How to Use “move sb up”?

Use “move sb up” when talking about increasing someone’s rank, priority, or position. It is often used in workplace contexts, event lists, or competitions.

Examples include promoting an employee, moving a person higher on a waiting list, or advancing a player to a better team level.

Examples

Here are some examples to help you understand how to move sb up in a sentence:

• The manager decided to move Sarah up to team leader because of her excellent work.
• They moved me up on the waiting list, so I will get the ticket sooner.
• After winning the last game, the coach moved him up to the senior team.
• Can you move me up in the queue? I have an urgent appointment.
• The company moved several employees up after the successful project completion.

Common Mistakes

People sometimes mix up the word order or use the wrong preposition. Here are some common mistakes:

• Incorrect: Please move up me on the list.
  Correct: Please move me up on the list.
• Incorrect: The boss moved up Sarah.
  Correct: The boss moved Sarah up.
• Incorrect: Can you move me down? (Unless you want a lower position)
  Correct: Can you move me up?

Differences / Synonyms

Similar phrases include “promote,” “advance,” and “push up.” However, “move sb up” is more casual and can apply to various contexts beyond jobs.

• Promote: Usually formal, often used in workplaces for official rank increases.
• Advance: More formal, can mean progress in many areas, including education or career.
• Push up: More physical or informal; often used for moving objects or people physically.

Unlike “promote,” “move sb up” can be used for lists or queues, not just jobs.

Common Collocations

Here are common objects that go with “move sb up” and their meanings:

• Move sb up the list: Change someone’s position higher on a list.
• Move sb up the ranks: Promote someone within an organization.
• Move sb up in the queue: Give someone priority in a waiting line.
• Move sb up a level: Advance someone to a higher skill or competition level.

Related Phrasal Verbs

Here are related phrasal verbs of move sb up:

• Move Sb Round
• Move Sth Up
• Move Sb Into Sth
• Move Past Sth
• Move Sb Aside

Real-life Dialogue

Here is a short conversation using “move sb up”:

Anna: I really need to get those tickets soon.

Ben: I’ll try to move you up on the waiting list.

Anna: That would be great! Thanks so much.

Practice

Try to complete the sentences with the correct form of “move sb up”:

• The teacher decided to ________ Tom ________ to the advanced class.
• Can you ________ me ________ the queue? I’m in a hurry.
• After the project success, the company ________ several employees ________.

FAQs

• What does “move sb up” mean? It means to promote or advance someone to a higher position or place.
• Is “move sb up” formal or informal? It is mostly informal but can be used in professional settings.
• Can I say “move me up” without an object? Yes, if the context is clear, like in a queue or list.
• Is “move sb up” separable? Yes, you can put the object between the verb and particle or after the phrasal verb.
• What is a synonym for “move sb up”? You can use “promote” or “advance,” depending on context.