intransitive/transitive phrasal verb used for indicating arrival or revealing flaws/weaknesses

to talk about arriving at an event/meeting or exposing someone's mistakes or shortcomings

missing appointments, parties, work meetings, situations where a person fails to appear as expected

everyday conversation, professional settings, informal social contexts

show up

show up

subject – the person who arrives; object – the person who is exposed (in the transitive use ‘show someone up’)

• finally
• never
• clearly
• embarrassed

• appear
• turn up
• arrive
• expose

'Show' alone for arrival is incomplete; must include 'up'. Using it only as ‘to appear’ may be ambiguous in formal contexts.

turn up – informal British equivalent of showing up; stand out – to become noticeable but not necessarily arriving or embarrassing.

In American English the phrase can mean both neutral appearance and embarrassment depending on context; learners should pay attention to tone and situation.

• no-show (noun)

Casual register: simply means ‘to arrive’. In a negative connotation, it implies embarrassment or exposing flaws (e.g., ‘show someone up’) which carries social impact.

Conveys casual revelation; used to comment on tardiness or to subtly criticize behavior without overt confrontation.

“He didn’t show up for the meeting.”

This phrasal verb is essential for casual and professional communication to discuss attendance and social faux pas.

show up uninvited