Phrasal verb
check up on
Meanings
To contact, visit, or look in on a person to see how they are doing and whether they are okay.
To examine or verify something to make sure it is correct, safe, or functioning properly.
Definition
To check up on someone or something means to find out how they are doing or whether everything is okay.
When you check up on someone, you contact them or visit them to make sure they are safe or doing well. When you check up on something, you look at it again to confirm it is correct, working, or progressing as expected. The phrase often implies care, responsibility, or making sure nothing has gone wrong.
Examples
- I’ll check up on you after your long flight to make sure you got home safely.
- Can you check up on the soup and see if it’s boiling over?
- She checked up on her plants while her friend was away.
- They checked up on the new software update to confirm it didn’t break anything.
Common mistake
Learners often say "check on" when they mean repeated monitoring; "check up on" emphasizes making sure over time or out of concern.
More phrasal verbs
- go on To go on means to continue or keep happening.
- carry out To carry out something means to do it or complete it, especially a plan, task, or instruction.
- set up To set up means to arrange or prepare something so it is ready to use or happen.
- pick up “Pick up” most commonly means to collect someone or something from a place, usually by going there.
- go back To go back means to return to a place, time, or earlier situation.