# mock up

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

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

## Definition

to make a simple model or a quick version of something to see how it will look or work. You use this when you want to test an idea before making the real thing.

For teachers: to construct a model or replica of a design or device for study, testing, or display. Transitive; the object can be a physical prototype or a digital layout.

## Examples

- The designers mock up the new website layout on paper first.
- Before building the actual car, the engineers decided to mock up a full-scale version using clay and plastic.
- The architectural firm spent weeks trying to mock up the complex glass facade to ensure the structural integrity met the client's rigorous safety standards.

## Pitfalls

- Not "We need to mock up of the interface." but "We need to mock up the interface." — The verb is transitive and takes a direct object without the preposition 'of'.

## Usage notes

- The object can sit between the verb and the particle or follow the particle.
- Teaching tip: Contrast with 'prototype' (more technical/functional) and 'sketch' (2D only); 'mock up' implies a visual representation used for feedback.

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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.