Use up means to use all of something so that none is left: food, money, time, energy. “Up” shows that the supply is gone: “use up the milk” means to finish all the milk. It often comes with “all”: I've used up all my annual leave.
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use up + noun; use it/them up; use up all + noun; be used up
- My flatmate used up all the hot water, so I had to wait an hour for a shower.
- Try to use up the vegetables in the fridge before you buy more.
- The long meeting used up most of my energy, and I couldn't focus afterwards.
What changed
First versionI watched videos on the train and spent all my mobile data.
RevisionI watched videos on the train and used up all my mobile data.
“Spend” is usually used about money and time. When a supply of something runs out (mobile data, paper, petrol), you need “used up”.
“Run out of” describes the same situation from the other side: not “I used it all”, but “there is none left”. Compare: We used up the coffee and We ran out of coffee. If you name what is gone after “run out”, you need “of”.
Your turn
We ___ all the printer paper yesterday, so I ordered more this morning.
Show the answer
used up — Right after the gap comes “all the printer paper”, and “used up” takes it directly. “Ran out” cannot do that; it would need a preposition: we ran out of printer paper.
Write about something that gets used up quickly at home or at work. Say what it is and how long it takes you to use it up.
In our office we use up a big pack of coffee beans every three days.
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