What Does “Work sb up” Mean?
“Work sb up” means to cause someone to become upset, worried, or excited, often unnecessarily. It refers to making someone feel emotional or agitated.
Introduction
The phrase “Work sb up” is a common phrasal verb in English. It is often used when someone is made anxious, angry, or overly excited about something. Understanding the Work sb up meaning helps learners use it correctly in conversations or writing. This phrasal verb is usually about emotions, especially when someone’s feelings are stirred up by another person or a situation. Knowing how to use “Work sb up” can improve your English fluency and help you express emotional reactions more naturally.
Quick Info Box
- Phrasal verb: Work somebody up
- Type: Transitive
- Level: B2
- Short meaning: To make someone upset, worried, or excited
Structure (Grammar Rules)
“Work sb up” is a separable phrasal verb. You can place the object (sb) between “work” and “up” or after “up.”
- Work someone up
- Work up someone
Examples:
- Don’t work me up before the exam.
- She worked herself up about the meeting.
How to Use Work sb up?
Use “Work sb up” when talking about making someone feel nervous, angry, or excited. It often suggests that these feelings are stronger than necessary or caused by stress. You can use it in everyday conversations about emotions and reactions.
Examples
Before the big presentation, John’s friends tried not to work him up too much.
- Don’t work yourself up over small mistakes.
- The news worked her up, and she started crying.
- He tends to work himself up before every game.
- Try not to work the kids up before bedtime.
- She was worked up about the argument with her boss.
These examples show how “Work sb up in a sentence” means causing emotional stress or excitement.
Common Mistakes
People sometimes confuse the correct word order or use the phrase when it doesn’t fit the context.
- Incorrect: Don’t work up me.
- Correct: Don’t work me up.
- Incorrect: I worked up angry.
- Correct: I worked myself up and got angry.
Remember, the object (someone) must be placed correctly, and the phrase usually refers to emotions.
Differences / Synonyms
“Work sb up” is similar to “get sb worked up” or “freak sb out,” but there are subtle differences.
- Get sb worked up: Very close in meaning, more common in spoken English.
- Freak sb out: More informal; suggests extreme fear or surprise.
- Upset sb: More general; can mean making someone sad or angry.
Use “Work sb up” when referring to building up emotions gradually, especially stress or excitement.
Common Collocations
We often use “Work sb up” with words related to emotions or situations that cause stress or excitement.
- Work yourself up (about something): to become anxious or angry
- Work someone up into a state: to make someone emotionally disturbed
- Work sb up over nothing: to cause worry unnecessarily
- Work sb up about a problem: to cause concern
Related Phrasal Verbs
Here are related phrasal verbs of work sb up:
Real-life Dialogue
Here is a short conversation using “Work sb up.”
Anna: Why are you so upset?
Ben: I got worked up about the test results.
Anna: Don’t worry too much. It’s not the end of the world.
Practice
Choose the correct option to complete the sentence:
She always _______ herself up before important meetings.
- a) works
- b) work
- c) worked
- d) working
Fill in the blank:
Don’t _______ me up, I’m already nervous.
FAQ
- Q: Can “Work sb up” be used in formal writing?
A: It is more common in informal or spoken English but can be used in informal writing. - Q: Is “Work sb up” always negative?
A: Usually, yes. It refers to causing worry or agitation. - Q: Can I say “Work yourself up”?
A: Yes, it means to make yourself anxious or excited. - Q: What is the difference between “Work sb up” and “Get sb worked up”?
A: They have similar meanings, but “Get sb worked up” is more conversational. - Q: Is “Work sb up” separable?
A: Yes, you can separate the verb and particle with the object.
