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boo up

(intransitive, originally, AAVE, chiefly, US, slang) To start a romantic relationship with someone.

ˈbu ˈʌpDocumented since 2010s2010sGen Ztrending251 viewsLast reviewed Sep 6, 2026+ Add a definition
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Born ~2010 · no dated citations yet
2010BornToday, 2026

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US
#1·Apr 26, 2026US

(intransitive, originally, AAVE, chiefly, US, slang) To start a romantic relationship with someone.

Origin: From boo; compare booed up. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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#2·May 2, 2026Global

To start a romantic relationship with someone.

For parents

Boo up means to find a romantic partner. "I'm trying to boo up this winter" = I want to find someone to date this winter. Not concerning, just dating vocabulary. If your kid uses it constantly, ask them where they first heard it, not to police their speech but to understand which online community they are in. Most slang of this kind moves through TikTok and group chats, so seeing it in your child's vocabulary just means they are plugged into normal teen internet culture.

For ESL learners

Boo up is informal English meaning to find or become involved with a romantic partner. "Boo" here is slang for a romantic interest. Use only in casual contexts. Formal equivalent: "to find a partner," "to enter a relationship." Common non-native mistake: separating into "boo" + "up." Boo up functions as a phrasal verb. Read or listen to the word in context several times before trying it yourself; the right register is harder to learn than the dictionary meaning.

Cluster: romantic_partner
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