turn up

Meaning

To turn up means to arrive or appear, especially unexpectedly or after being lost. It is a casual phrasal verb used in everyday speech to talk about people showing up to events or lost objects being found.

Examples

• We waited for an hour, but he didn't turn up to the meeting.

  We waited for an hour, but he didn't turn up to the meeting.

• Don't worry about your keys; they usually turn up when you least expect it.

  Don't worry about your keys; they usually turn up when you least expect it.

• Guess who turned up at my doorstep last night without calling first?

  Guess who turned up at my doorstep last night without calling first?

• I was surprised by how many people turned up for the neighborhood cleanup.

  I was surprised by how many people turned up for the neighborhood cleanup.

• My wedding ring turned up in the laundry basket after being missing for a week.

  My wedding ring turned up in the laundry basket after being missing for a week.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I turned up my keys under the couch.

  ✓ My keys turned up under the couch.

  In the sense of being found, 'turn up' is intransitive. The object (the lost item) is the subject of the sentence. You cannot 'turn up' an object yourself in this context.

• ✗ He arrived to turn up at 8 PM.

  ✓ He turned up at 8 PM.

  'Turn up' already means to arrive. Combining 'arrived to turn up' is redundant and incorrect.

Related Expressions

Practice

• I thought I lost my wallet, but it eventually ___ in my car.

  💡 Appeared or was found.

  Show answer

  turned up

• Only a few students ___ for the extra study session on Friday.

  💡 Arrived or showed up.

  Show answer

  turned up