Phrasal verb
free up
Definition
phrasal verb. to make something available so it can be used for another purpose.
phrasal verb. to release or liberate a resource, such as time, space, or money, from a current commitment or restriction so that it may be utilized elsewhere.
Examples
“I need to free up some space on my phone.”
“Deleting those old videos will free up enough memory for the new software update.”
“The government hopes that reducing administrative costs will free up significant capital for investment in public infrastructure projects.”
Examples
simple
“I need to free up some space on my phone.”
contextual
“Deleting those old videos will free up enough memory for the new software update.”
complex
“The government hopes that reducing administrative costs will free up significant capital for investment in public infrastructure projects.”
Usage
commonly used with abstract nouns like 'time', 'space', 'memory', or 'funds'.
Teaching tip
contrast with 'empty' or 'clear'; 'free up' implies that the resource is now ready for a new, productive use rather than just being vacant.
Pitfall
I need to free some time up of my schedule.
I need to free up some time in my schedule.
the preposition 'of' is incorrect here; use 'in' or 'from' to describe the source of the freed resource.
Phrasal verb
Particles
up
Separability
optional
Pattern
free + (object) + up + (object)
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/free-up