Live up to meaning
Live up to means to be as good as people expected or hoped.
live up to somebody or something
live up to · lived · living
The new phone didn’t live up to the hype.
Live up to meanings and examples
One meaning, each with its own CEFR level. A level marked ~ is our estimate: Oxford and Cambridge give none for that meaning.
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1
Be as good as people expected or hoped
live up to somebody or something
- The new phone didn’t live up to the hype.
- She worked hard to live up to her parents’ hopes.
- Did the hotel live up to the photos online?
Café orders
New friends
At the airport
Slova
Use live up to in real conversations
- Learn new words with picture cards
- Talk with Felix, an AI tutor, about the things you love
- Short lessons at your level, a few minutes a day
Is live up to separable?
Live up to is not separable. The expectation comes after to: live up to expectations, live up to it.
It is very often used with a reputation, name, hype or expectations, and often in the negative: The film didn’t live up to its reputation.
Verb tenses for live up to
| Present | I live up to · she lives up to |
|---|---|
| Past | lived up to |
| Present perfect | have lived up to |
| -ing form | living up to |
Common mistakes with live up to
What learners often say, and what to say instead.
Wrong: The concert didn’t live up my expectations.
Right: The concert didn’t live up to my expectations.
Do not drop to.
Wrong: I’m trying to live up with my sister’s success.
Right: I’m trying to live up to my sister’s success.
The particles are up to, not up with.
Wrong: The holiday lived up to be perfect.
Right: The holiday lived up to our hopes.
Use a noun after live up to, not to be.
Synonyms and opposites of live up to
Words close to it, and words that mean the opposite.
Similar
- meet expectationsbe as good as expected, a bit more formal
- matchbe as good as something else
- turn outend in a particular way: It turned out great
Opposite
- let downdisappoint someone
- fall short ofnot be as good as expected
Live up to quiz
Three quick questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why.
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1Everyone said the restaurant was amazing, and it really ___ its name.
Live up to means be as good as expected.
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2Choose the right sentence.
Use the full form live up to.
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3“The new manager has a lot to live up to.” What does it mean?
Have a lot to live up to means people expect you to be as good as someone before.
More phrasal verbs with live
2 phrasal verbs start with live. Test yourself on all of them in a few minutes.
Live up to FAQ
Questions people ask about live up to.
What does live up to expectations mean?
It means be as good as people thought or hoped: The show lived up to expectations.
What does didn’t live up to the hype mean?
It means something was much talked about, but it was not as good as people said.
What is the opposite of live up to?
Fall short of: The results fell short of our hopes. You can also say it was a letdown.
Use live up to in real conversations
In Slova you learn new words with picture cards, then use them when you talk about the things you love. A few minutes a day, at your level.