show up

Meaning

This casual phrasal verb means to arrive or appear at a place, especially where you are expected. It is often used when someone arrives late, unexpectedly, or fails to arrive at all. It can also mean to make someone feel embarrassed by outperforming them.

Examples

• We waited for an hour, but he didn't show up.

  We waited for an hour, but he didn't show up.

• What time did she finally show up at the party last night?

  What time did she finally show up at the party last night?

• I was surprised when my cousin showed up at my doorstep out of the blue.

  I was surprised when my cousin showed up at my doorstep out of the blue.

• You don't need to dress up too much, just show up in comfortable clothes.

  You don't need to dress up too much, just show up in comfortable clothes.

• He always tries to show me up in front of the boss by working late.

  He always tries to show me up in front of the boss by working late.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ She showed up herself at the party.

  ✓ She showed up at the party.

  'Show up' is intransitive when meaning 'to arrive' and does not take a reflexive pronoun like 'herself'.

• ✗ I waited for him but he didn't show.

  ✓ I waited for him but he didn't show up.

  While 'show' alone is sometimes used as slang in informal American English, 'show up' is the standard, complete phrasal verb required at B1 level.

Related Expressions

Practice

• If you don't ___ on time, they might start the meeting without you.

  💡 arrive

  Show answer

  show up

• I was so embarrassed when nobody ___ for my presentation.

  💡 arrived or appeared

  Show answer

  showed up