Phrasal verb
hook up
Irregular verb
Forms
Infinitive
hook up
Past
hooked up
Past participle
hooked up
Definition
phrasal verb. to meet someone to spend time together, or to start a casual romantic relationship with them.
phrasal verb. to meet or associate with someone, often implying the initiation of a casual sexual or romantic relationship. It functions intransitively or takes a prepositional object with 'with'.
Examples
“We should hook up for coffee sometime next week.”
“After chatting online for weeks, they finally decided to hook up in person at a local park.”
“Sociologists often analyze how digital platforms have transformed the way young adults hook up, shifting the traditional boundaries of courtship and casual dating.”
Examples
simple
“We should hook up for coffee sometime next week.”
contextual
“After chatting online for weeks, they finally decided to hook up in person at a local park.”
complex
“Sociologists often analyze how digital platforms have transformed the way young adults hook up, shifting the traditional boundaries of courtship and casual dating.”
Usage
use 'with' to specify the person you are meeting or starting a relationship with.
Teaching tip
warn students about the potential sexual connotation in American English so they use it carefully in professional settings.
Pitfall
I hooked up my old friend.
I hooked up with my old friend.
without 'with', the phrase implies you are providing something for your friend or connecting them to someone else.
Phrasal verb
Particles
up
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
hook + up (+ with + object)
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word family
VERB
NOUN
PHRASAL VERB
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
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/hook-up