lineup
B2Neutral to Informal; specific formal contexts in law (police lineup) or sports.
Definition
Meaning
A row or list of people or things assembled for a particular purpose, such as inspection, selection, or performance.
Can refer to the list of participants in an event (sports team, concert), a group of suspects shown to a witness, or the order of items in a sequence (TV schedule).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a noun. The verb form is the phrasal verb 'line up' (two words). The one-word noun form is a result of compounding.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling is consistent. The frequency and primary contexts are similar. The police procedure is more culturally associated with American media, but the term is understood in both varieties.
Connotations
In sports, strongly associated with team selection. In entertainment, connotes the quality and appeal of a scheduled event.
Frequency
Comparatively high frequency in sports, media, and entertainment reporting in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
lineup of + [people/things] (a lineup of suspects)lineup for + [event] (the lineup for the festival)in the lineupon the lineupVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “shake up the lineup (make major changes)”
- “a lineup to die for (an exceptionally good selection)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to the range of products or services offered (e.g., 'Our new product lineup').
Academic
Rare; might be used in sociology or criminology when discussing police identification procedures.
Everyday
Commonly used for TV schedules, concert performers, or sports teams (e.g., 'Check the lineup for tonight's game').
Technical
In broadcasting, the sequence of programs; in law enforcement, the procedure of presenting suspects.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The manager will line up the new signings for a photo.
- Fans began to line up outside the stadium at dawn.
American English
- Can you line up the interviews for tomorrow?
- We need to line up sponsors for the event.
adjective
British English
- The lineup order was decided by a random draw.
- We're waiting for the lineup card from the referee.
American English
- The lineup changes were posted on the bulletin board.
- He's a lineup regular for the home games.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The teacher made a lineup of the children.
- Look at the lineup of cars!
- The concert has a great lineup of bands.
- The football coach changed the starting lineup.
- The police asked the witness to identify the thief from the lineup.
- The festival's lineup was leaked online before the official announcement.
- Despite its impressive acting lineup, the film's plot was critically panned.
- The prosecutor's case hinged on the witness's shaky identification during the police lineup.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine people standing in a LINE, waiting for their turn UP on stage - that's the LINEUP.
Conceptual Metaphor
A COLLECTION IS A LINE (ordering and arranging items in a sequence for presentation).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation to 'линия вверх'. For a team list, use 'состав' or 'расписание'. For a police procedure, use 'опознание'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'lineup' as a verb (incorrect: 'Let's lineup the chairs'; correct: 'Let's line up the chairs').
- Confusing 'lineup' with 'queue' (BrE) which refers only to the line of people waiting).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'lineup' LEAST likely to be used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
As a noun meaning a group or list, it is one word ('lineup'). The verb is the phrasal verb 'line up' (two words).
A 'roster' is a static list of names, often for a team or duty. A 'lineup' implies an active, ordered arrangement for a specific instance (e.g., today's starting lineup from the full team roster).
Yes, it can refer to a series of products, TV shows, or any items presented in a sequence (e.g., 'the new car lineup', 'tonight's TV lineup').
It is neutral but context-dependent. It is standard in sports, media, and legal contexts. In very formal writing, synonyms like 'arrangement', 'order', or 'roster' might be preferred depending on the meaning.