English · Phrasal verb Attested

well up

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Sense 1

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

To gradually or steadily flow upwards or outwards so as to begin to fill or overflow something.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Dòng chảy dần hoặc ổn định lên trên hoặc ra ngoài

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Where it’s used: Used American English

Oil was welling up out of the borehole.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

To accumulate within one, to the point of overwhelming one.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Tích lũy trong một người đến mức áp đảo

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Topics: Water

What does “well up” mean?

To gradually or steadily flow upwards or outwards so as to begin to fill or overflow something.

Is “well up” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.