Phrasal verb
suit up
Definition
phrasal verb. to put on a specific set of clothes, usually a formal suit or a uniform for a special activity.
phrasal verb. to don a formal suit or specialized attire required for a specific role or activity. Often used in a sports context or as a colloquialism for dressing in business formalwear.
Examples
“We need to suit up for the wedding ceremony.”
“The players went into the locker room to suit up before the championship game started.”
“As the mission clock reached zero, the astronauts began to suit up in their pressurized gear for the final inspection.”
Examples
simple
“We need to suit up for the wedding ceremony.”
contextual
“The players went into the locker room to suit up before the championship game started.”
complex
“As the mission clock reached zero, the astronauts began to suit up in their pressurized gear for the final inspection.”
Usage
often used intransitively, but can take a reflexive pronoun like 'himself' or 'herself'.
Teaching tip
popularized in modern pop culture (e.g., 'How I Met Your Mother') as a call to dress formally; contrast with 'get dressed' which is more general.
Phrasal verb
Particles
up
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
suit + up
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
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