# man up

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/man-up
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To be brave or tough enough to deal with something in a manner that is considered strong or manly. (Compare man (“brace oneself, steel oneself”))

## Examples

- He needs to man up and tell the truth.
- When the project became difficult, the manager told the team they had to man up and finish the work.
- Despite his deep-seated fear of the consequences, he knew he had to man up, accept responsibility for his errors, and face the board of directors.

## Origin

From *man* + *up*, patterned after the phrasal constructions *own up* and *buck up*.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.