keep up with
InseparableThe verb and particle never split. The object always follows the whole phrase.
How to say it
Main stress lands on the first particle: keep UP with. The trailing “with” reduces almost to nothing — expect a schwa, not a full vowel.
Link across the gap. The final /p/ of “keep” moves onto the particle and starts its syllable: “keep up” is said “kee-pup”. Pausing between the words is what makes phrasal verbs sound recited rather than spoken.
What it means
To stay level with someone or something moving forward.
- “It's hard to keep up with the news these days.”
- “She kept up with the front group for the first ten miles.”
Similar: stay abreast of