Phrasal verb
put up with
Definition
phrasal verb. to accept an annoying person or situation without complaining.
phrasal verb. to tolerate something or someone unpleasant without protest; transitive phrasal verb.
Examples
“I can't put up with this noise anymore.”
“She puts up with her roommate's messy habits because the rent is cheap.”
“Having put up with years of bureaucratic delays, the villagers finally built the well themselves.”
Examples
simple
“I can't put up with this noise anymore.”
contextual
“She puts up with her roommate's messy habits because the rent is cheap.”
complex
“Having put up with years of bureaucratic delays, the villagers finally built the well themselves.”
Usage
object always follows the full phrasal verb; never split 'put up with'.
Teaching tip
contrast with 'tolerate' (more formal) and 'stand' (often in negative: 'can't stand'); 'put up with' is neutral and everyday.
Pitfall
I can't put her up with.
I can't put up with her.
the object must come after the complete phrasal verb; particles stay together.
Etymology
From put up + with.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Phrasal verb
Particles
up with
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
put + up + with + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/put-up-with