# summon up

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/summon-up
Updated: 2026-10-23

## Definition

to find a quality in yourself, like courage or strength, when you really need it. You use this when you have to work hard to feel brave or energetic.

For teachers: to exert significant effort to produce a particular quality or reaction from within oneself. Often used with abstract nouns representing internal resources such as courage, strength, or energy.

## Examples

- I had to summon up the courage to speak.
- She managed to summon up enough energy to finish the race despite her exhaustion.
- The witness struggled to summon up the painful memories required for her testimony during the cross-examination.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He summoned up to ask her out." but "He summoned up the courage to ask her out." — The verb is transitive and requires an object, usually an abstract noun like courage or strength.

## Usage notes

- The object is almost always an abstract noun representing an internal emotion or capacity.
- Teaching tip: Contrast with 'summon' (to officially call someone to a place); 'summon up' emphasizes the internal struggle to find a hidden or depleted resource.

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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.