Phrasal verb
butt up
Definition
phrasal verb. to be right next to something so the edges touch. You use this when there is no space between two things.
phrasal verb. To be positioned immediately adjacent to another surface or edge. The verb often functions as an intransitive phrasal verb followed by the preposition 'against'.
Examples
“The new fence butts up against the neighbor's shed.”
“When you install the flooring, ensure each plank butts up tightly against the next one to prevent moisture from getting underneath.”
“The modern glass extension butts up against the original Victorian brickwork, creating a striking architectural contrast between the nineteenth and twenty-first centuries.”
Examples
simple
“The new fence butts up against the neighbor's shed.”
contextual
“When you install the flooring, ensure each plank butts up tightly against the next one to prevent moisture from getting underneath.”
complex
“The modern glass extension butts up against the original Victorian brickwork, creating a striking architectural contrast between the nineteenth and twenty-first centuries.”
Usage
This phrase is frequently followed by 'against' to indicate the object being touched.
Teaching tip
Contrast with 'abut' for formal contexts; 'butt up' is common in construction, carpentry, and everyday descriptions of space.
Pitfall
The desk butts up the wall.
The desk butts up against the wall.
The preposition 'against' is required to connect the phrase to the object it is touching.
Phrasal verb
Particles
up
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
butt + up + against + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/butt-up