# charge up

CEFR B1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/charge-up
Updated: 2026-10-22

## Definition

to fill a battery with electricity so a device can work again. You use this when your phone or laptop is low on power.

For teachers: to restore electrical energy to a battery or battery-operated device. The verb functions transitively with the device as the object or intransitively to describe the state of the device.

## Examples

- I need to charge up my phone before we leave.
- If you don't charge up your laptop tonight, it will probably die during the presentation tomorrow morning.
- The electric vehicle requires several hours to charge up fully at a standard station, though rapid chargers can significantly reduce this duration.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I need to charge up of my phone." but "I need to charge up my phone." — no preposition 'of' is needed between the particle 'up' and the object.

## Usage notes

- this phrase is separable, meaning you can put the object between 'charge' and 'up'.
- Teaching tip: contrast with 'recharge' which is more formal; 'charge up' is the standard phrasal verb for daily tech use.

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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.