clock up: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Informal, but common in journalism and conversational reports.
Quick answer
What does “clock up” mean?
To accumulate or reach a total, especially of distance, time, or a numerical amount, often as a record.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To accumulate or reach a total, especially of distance, time, or a numerical amount, often as a record.
To achieve or register a significant amount, often implying a gradual or steady accumulation. Commonly used for miles, hours, points, or similar measurable units.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
"Clock up" is the standard form in British English. In American English, "log" or "rack up" are more frequent equivalents, though "clock up" is understood.
Connotations
In both varieties, it suggests systematic recording or accumulation. In British English, it's the default informal choice for this concept.
Frequency
Far more common in UK English. In US English, "rack up" dominates in similar contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “clock up” in a Sentence
SUBJ clock up OBJ (e.g., He clocked up 200 miles.)SUBJ clock up OBJ PREP OBJ (e.g., She clocked up ten years with the company.)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “clock up” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The veteran driver has clocked up over two million miles.
- The team clocked up their third consecutive win.
- Be careful, or you'll clock up a huge phone bill.
American English
- The sales team racked up record numbers this quarter.
- She logged thousands of flight miles.
- He's accrued significant experience in the field.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
"The new model has already clocked up 50,000 pre-orders."
Academic
Rare; more likely in informal reports or sports studies.
Everyday
"I've clocked up a lot of overtime this month."
Technical
Used in transport, sports, and logistics contexts to denote accumulated metrics.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “clock up”
- Using 'clock up' for intangible, non-measurable concepts (e.g., ~~clock up happiness~~).
- Using it intransitively (e.g., ~~The miles clocked up~~ is less common; prefer *He clocked up the miles*).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is informal but very common in journalism, sports reporting, and everyday speech. For formal writing, 'accumulate', 'amass', or 'record' might be preferred.
They are near synonyms. 'Clock up' is standard in British English, while 'rack up' is more common in American English. 'Rack up' can sometimes imply a faster or more aggressive accumulation.
Yes. While often used for neutral or positive achievements (miles, points), it is perfectly correct for negatives like debt, fines, or losses, implying a steady accumulation.
There is no direct noun form of the phrasal verb. Related nouns would be 'accumulation', 'total', or 'tally' (e.g., the final tally of miles clocked up).
To accumulate or reach a total, especially of distance, time, or a numerical amount, often as a record.
Clock up: in British English it is pronounced /klɒk ʌp/, and in American English it is pronounced /klɑːk ʌp/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “clock up the miles”
- “clock up time”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine an old taxi meter CLOCKing UP the pounds and miles as you drive.
Conceptual Metaphor
QUANTITY IS DISTANCE/TIME ON A METER (The accumulation of an abstract total is visualized as numbers increasing on a mechanical counter.)
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'clock up' CORRECTLY?