Is 'weigh up' separable?

Yes, it is separable. You can say 'Weigh the options up' or 'Weigh up the options'. The non-separated form is more common.

What's the difference between 'weigh up' and 'think about'?

'Weigh up' is more specific. It implies a comparative analysis of different elements to reach a balanced judgment. 'Think about' is more general.

Can you 'weigh up' a person?

Yes, particularly in British English. It means to observe and form an opinion about someone's character, intentions, or abilities (e.g., 'The interviewers spent the first few minutes weighing him up').

Is there a noun form of 'weigh up'?

No direct noun form. The related noun would be 'weighing-up' (hyphenated, informal) or more commonly, 'assessment', 'evaluation', or 'consideration'.

How do you pronounce “weigh up”?

Weigh up: in British English it is pronounced /weɪ ˈʌp/, and in American English it is pronounced /weɪ ˈʌp/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.

weigh up: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

B2 (Upper Intermediate)

UK/weɪ ˈʌp/US/weɪ ˈʌp/

Neutral to slightly formal. Common in spoken and written English.

My Flashcards

Quick answer

What does “weigh up” mean?

To carefully consider, assess, or evaluate the different aspects, pros and cons, or value of something before making a decision or judgment.

Audio

Pronunciation

Definition

Meaning and Definition

To carefully consider, assess, or evaluate the different aspects, pros and cons, or value of something before making a decision or judgment.

A phrasal verb meaning to think about something carefully, especially to form an opinion about its importance, quality, or likely result. It often implies a mental balancing of factors.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

Used in both varieties. Slightly more common in British English, where 'weigh up' can sometimes be used more broadly. In American English, 'weigh' alone or 'weigh out' (in specific contexts) might be more frequent for similar meanings, though 'weigh up' is still perfectly correct and understood.

Connotations

Neutral in both. No significant difference in connotation.

Frequency

Higher frequency in British English corpora. In American English, alternatives like 'evaluate', 'consider', 'assess' may be equally or more common.

Grammar

How to Use “weigh up” in a Sentence

[Subject] + weigh up + [Object (noun phrase)][Subject] + weigh up + whether/what/how + clause

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong

weigh up the pros and consweigh up the evidenceweigh up the optionsweigh up the chancesweigh up the risksweigh up the situation

medium

weigh up a decisionweigh up the argumentsweigh up the benefitsweigh up the costsweigh up the advantagescarefully weigh up

weak

weigh up a personweigh up the offerweigh up the factsweigh up the implications

Examples

Examples of “weigh up” in a Sentence

verb

British English

Give me a moment to weigh up what you've said.
He took his time weighing up the job offer from the firm in Manchester.

American English

We need to weigh up the environmental impact before proceeding.
She weighed up whether the long commute was worth the higher salary.

adverb

British English

American English

adjective

British English

American English

Usage

Meaning in Context

Business

"Before the merger, the board spent weeks weighing up the financial risks against the potential market gains."

Academic

"The researcher must weigh up the conflicting data before drawing a definitive conclusion."

Everyday

"I'm weighing up whether to take the train or drive to the coast this weekend."

Technical

Less common. In specific technical fields (e.g., engineering), more precise terms like 'calculate', 'model', or 'simulate' are used.

Vocabulary

Synonyms of “weigh up”

Strong

deliberate overmull overponder contemplate

Neutral

evaluate assess consider appraise judge estimate

Weak

think aboutlook atexamine review

Vocabulary

Antonyms of “weigh up”

ignore dismiss disregard overlookact impulsively

Watch out

Common Mistakes When Using “weigh up”

Using 'weight up' (incorrect noun form). Correct: 'weigh up'.
Using it for instant decisions. It describes a process.
Omitting the object: ✗ 'I need to weigh up.' ✓ 'I need to weigh up the options.'

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

: Yes, it is separable. You can say 'Weigh the options up' or 'Weigh up the options'. The non-separated form is more common.
: 'Weigh up' is more specific. It implies a comparative analysis of different elements to reach a balanced judgment. 'Think about' is more general.
: Yes, particularly in British English. It means to observe and form an opinion about someone's character, intentions, or abilities (e.g., 'The interviewers spent the first few minutes weighing him up').
: No direct noun form. The related noun would be 'weighing-up' (hyphenated, informal) or more commonly, 'assessment', 'evaluation', or 'consideration'.
: To carefully consider, assess, or evaluate the different aspects, pros and cons, or value of something before making a decision or judgment.
: Weigh up is usually neutral to slightly formal. common in spoken and written english. in register.
: Weigh up: in British English it is pronounced /weɪ ˈʌp/, and in American English it is pronounced /weɪ ˈʌp/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.

Phrases

Idioms & Phrases

“Weigh up the odds”
“Weigh someone/something up (in British English: to form an opinion about someone's/something's character or abilities).”

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Imagine an old-fashioned balance scale. You put the PROS on one side and the CONS on the other to SEE (phonetically similar to 'weigh up' /weɪ ʌp/) which is heavier. You 'weigh up' the situation.

Conceptual Metaphor

THINKING IS WEIGHING (The mind is a scale; ideas/options have 'weight'; deliberation is a balancing act).

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap

It's a big decision, so you should all the possibilities first.

Multiple Choice

What is the core meaning of 'weigh up'?