marry up: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Informal (social meaning); Neutral (technical/combining meaning)
Quick answer
What does “marry up” mean?
To join or combine two or more things so they connect or work together properly.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To join or combine two or more things so they connect or work together properly.
To marry a person of higher social status or wealth; to align or match components, data, or systems.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both meanings are understood in both dialects. The social meaning is more common in British media discussing class. The technical meaning is neutral.
Connotations
The social meaning can carry slightly judgmental or gossipy overtones. The technical meaning is neutral.
Frequency
The social meaning is moderately low frequency. The technical/logistical meaning is common in business, IT, and project management contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “marry up” in a Sentence
marry up with sthmarry sth up (with sth)marry up (adv)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “marry up” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- Can you marry up the guest list with the seating plan?
- Rumour has it she married up and moved to Chelsea.
American English
- We need to marry up the inventory logs with the database.
- He definitely married up—her family owns a tech empire.
adjective
British English
- It was considered a marry-up match by the society pages.
American English
- He made a marry-up move by joining that influential firm.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
"We need to marry up the sales figures from the two regions."
Academic
"The researcher attempted to marry up the archaeological findings with the historical texts."
Everyday
"Let's try to marry up our diaries and find a date that works."
Technical
"The software marries up the GPS data with the timestamped images."
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “marry up”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “marry up”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “marry up”
- Using 'marry up' to mean simply 'get married'. Confusing it with 'hurry up'. Incorrect preposition: 'marry up to' (usually 'with' or no preposition).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
The social meaning is informal. The technical/logistical meaning is acceptable in neutral and business contexts.
Yes, intransitively: 'The two datasets should marry up perfectly.'
They are often synonyms, but 'marry up' can imply a more complete or purposeful integration, while 'match up' can be simpler comparison.
It can be perceived as superficial or judgmental, reducing marriage to social advancement. Use with care in sensitive contexts.
To join or combine two or more things so they connect or work together properly.
Marry up: in British English it is pronounced /ˈmær.i ʌp/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈmer.i ʌp/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a wedding (to MARRY) where two people JOIN together (UP).
Conceptual Metaphor
CONNECTION IS MARRIAGE; INTEGRATION IS A UNION.
Practice
Quiz
In a business context, 'to marry up' most likely means: