sign up
B1Informal to Neutral
Definition
Meaning
To register for a membership, course, or service by providing one's details.
To commit oneself formally to a project, organization, or period of employment; to enlist or enroll.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a verb (phrasal verb). Often separated as 'sign [someone/something] up'. Implies an act of joining or enrolling, not just a preliminary expression of interest.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both 'sign up for' and 'sign up to' are used, but 'sign up for' is more common in AmE, while 'sign up to' is more frequent in BrE for organizations and initiatives (e.g., 'sign up to a scheme'). For courses/services, 'for' is standard in both.
Connotations
Largely identical. Can carry a slightly more formal connotation of commitment in BrE when used in employment contexts ("sign up for a two-year contract").
Frequency
Equally high frequency in both varieties. Slightly more prevalent in AmE marketing/internet contexts due to cultural focus on user acquisition.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
sign up (intransitive)sign up for [something] (transitive, prepositional)sign [someone] up (transitive, separable)sign up to [do something/infinitive]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Sign on the dotted line (related, formal commitment)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Common for customer acquisition, employee onboarding, and service subscriptions ("We signed up 100 new clients this quarter").
Academic
Used for enrolling in courses, seminars, or university programs.
Everyday
Ubiquitous for online services, gyms, clubs, newsletters, and events.
Technical
Standard term in software/UI for user registration (e.g., 'Sign Up' button).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- You need to sign up to the mailing list on their website.
- The club signed up three new players this season.
- I've signed up for an evening class in pottery.
American English
- Sign up for our newsletter to get a 10% discount.
- The company is trying to sign up more investors.
- She signed up to volunteer at the food bank.
adverb
British English
- He walked in sign-up first, eager to join. (Very rare/idiomatic)
- They were processing applications sign-up quickly. (Rare)
American English
- (No standard adverbial use for 'sign up'. Phrase is not used as an adverb.)
adjective
British English
- The sign-up process was straightforward.
- We offer a free sign-up bonus.
American English
- Click the sign-up button to begin.
- There's a 30-day sign-up period for new members.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I want to sign up for the football club.
- Please sign up here for the school trip.
- Did you sign up for the library?
- You should sign up for that online course—it's very useful.
- Over fifty people have already signed up for the workshop.
- He signed up to a new mobile phone contract.
- The charity is campaigning to sign up more regular donors.
- Before you can comment, you must sign up for an account on the platform.
- They managed to sign the star athlete up for another season.
- The government initiative aims to sign up thousands of small businesses to its net-zero scheme.
- Prospective participants are encouraged to sign up well in advance due to limited capacity.
- The recruiter's primary goal was to sign up qualified candidates for the graduate programme.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a 'sign' (like a signature) and 'up' (indicating addition to a list). You put your signature UP on a list to join.
Conceptual Metaphor
JOINING IS SIGNING A CONTRACT; SUBSCRIPTION IS A LIST.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calque 'подписывать вверх'.
- Do not confuse with 'sign in' (войти) or 'sign' (подписать документ).
- Remember it implies 'registration/enrollment', not just 'signature'.
Common Mistakes
- *I signed up in the course. (Correct: for/to)
- *He signed me up for help. (Incorrect unless 'help' is a formal program)
- Confusing 'sign up' (register) with 'log in' (access an existing account).
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'sign up' correctly?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Sign up' is more informal and often implies a simpler, quicker process (like for a newsletter). 'Register' can sound slightly more formal and is common for official events, courses, or with authorities.
Yes, as an intransitive verb: 'Hundreds of people signed up.' However, to specify what you are joining, a preposition ('for', 'to', 'with') is usually needed.
Yes, when used as a noun or adjective (a noun: 'The sign-up is on page two'; an adjective: 'the sign-up form'). The verb form is two separate words: 'Please sign up'.
The direct opposite is often 'cancel (your account)' or 'unsubscribe'. For temporary action, 'log out' or 'sign out' is the opposite of 'log in'/'sign in', not 'sign up'.