round up
B2Neutral to informal (for the gathering sense); Formal/specialised (for the mathematical/accounting sense).
Definition
Meaning
To gather together people, animals, or things that are scattered.
To increase a number to the nearest whole or convenient higher number. Also, to arrest or detain a group of people.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The mathematical sense is a systematic, rule-based action. The gathering/arresting sense implies purposeful, often forceful collection.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In British English, "round up" is also commonly used in the context of police or military operations (e.g., "The police rounded up the suspects"). In American English, this police/military usage is equally common, but the agricultural sense (rounding up cattle) may be more culturally salient.
Connotations
The gathering/arresting sense can carry a negative connotation of force or coercion. The mathematical sense is neutral.
Frequency
Both senses are equally frequent in both dialects.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] round(s) up [Direct Object][Subject] round(s) [Direct Object] upVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Round up the usual suspects.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
"We need to round up the final sales figures for the quarterly report."
Academic
"The study rounded up the values to the nearest integer for statistical analysis."
Everyday
"Can you round up the kids? Dinner's ready!"
Technical
"The function rounds up any input to the next highest whole number."
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The shepherd went to round up the sheep before the storm.
- The bill came to £19.30, so we rounded it up to £20 for the tip.
American English
- The rancher will round up the cattle at dawn.
- The software automatically rounds up any decimal to the next dollar.
adverb
British English
- This is not typically used as an adverb phrase.
American English
- This is not typically used as an adverb phrase.
adjective
British English
- The round-up of defective products was completed efficiently.
- A charity round-up donation was added to the bill.
American English
- The police conducted a major round-up of gang members.
- Check your bank statement for the monthly round-up savings feature.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Please round up your classmates for the photo.
- The price is £4.20, let's round it up to £5.
- The volunteers rounded up litter from the park.
- Always round up measurements to be on the safe side.
- Authorities rounded up the leaders of the protest for questioning.
- The algorithm rounds the value up to the nearest power of two.
- The documentary featured a dramatic round-up of endangered species for relocation.
- The consultant advised rounding the projections up to account for potential inflation.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of cowboys on horses forming a circle (a ROUND) to gather cattle UP from the plains.
Conceptual Metaphor
CONTROL IS UP (forcing things/people together into a controlled group); NUMERICAL INCREASE IS UPWARD MOVEMENT.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with "закруглить" (to make round).
- Avoid literal translation "вверх круглый".
- The mathematical sense is "округлять в большую сторону", not just "округлять" (which is ambiguous).
Common Mistakes
- Using 'round up' when 'round down' is meant mathematically.
- Incorrect word order: 'We up rounded the numbers.' (Correct: 'We rounded up the numbers.')
Practice
Quiz
In which context does 'round up' NOT typically apply?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
The opposite is 'round down', which means to decrease a number to the nearest whole or convenient lower number.
Yes, it can be used for objects (e.g., 'round up the tools') as well as numbers and data.
Not exactly. 'Roundup' as one word is often a noun naming the event or action (e.g., a cattle roundup, a police roundup). It is also a brand name for a herbicide.
If replacing 'round up' with 'gather' or 'increase to the next whole number' makes sense, then 'up' is part of the phrasal verb. If 'up' indicates direction (e.g., 'He turned round and looked up'), it is separate.