- To arrive at a place or event, especially when expected or after a delay; to appear.
- Turn up can also mean to increase volume/intensity or to be found unexpectedly, but here we focus on the arrival meaning shared with show up.
Explanation
Origin
- Show up: Show (make visible) + up (indicating appearance or arrival). Literally, to make oneself visible by appearing.
- Turn up: Turn (change direction/state) + up (indicating appearance). Possibly related to turning up like a card in a deck (revealing itself) or appearing suddenly.
- Both imply becoming present or visible at a location.
Synonyms & Related Expressions
Alternatives
Slang/Informal:
- Roll in / Roll up (arrive casually, sometimes late)
- Rock up (BrE/AusE slang arrive, often casually or unexpectedly)
- Make the scene (dated slang arrive at a social gathering)
Vulgar/Emphatic (expressing annoyance at lateness):
- Where the hell have you been? Finally showing up!
Milder/Formal:
- Arrive
- Attend
- Be present
Situational Appropriateness
- Informal to neutral.
- Very common in everyday speech. Arrive or attend are more formal.
Misunderstanding Warnings
- Learners should be aware of the different meanings of turn up (arrive, increase volume, be found). Context is usually clear.
Examples
- He promised to come, but he never showed up.
- What time did Sarah finally turn up?
- Lots of people showed up for the party.
- My keys eventually turned up under the sofa. (Found meaning of 'turn up')
Dialogue
Context
Anna: Is Mark here yet? The meeting starts in five minutes.
Ben: No, he hasn't shown up. I tried calling his phone, but it went to voicemail.
Anna: That's not like him. I hope everything's okay.
(Later)
Mark (arriving): Sorry I'm late everyone!
Ben: Ah, you finally turned up! We were getting worried.
Social Media Examples
- Tweet: Huge thanks to everyone who showed up for the charity bake sale today! We raised a lot of money! #community #grateful
- Event Page Comment: Anyone else waiting for the band to turn up? They're 30 minutes late... #livemusic
- Instagram Story: Guess who finally showed up to the party! 🎉 @[Friend's Handle]
Response Patterns
- Relief/Happiness (if arrival was awaited): Oh good, they're here! / Finally!
- Annoyance (if late or unexpected): About time! / Look who finally decided to show up. (Often sarcastic)
- Neutral confirmation: Yes, they arrived around 8.
Common Follow-up Questions/Actions
After someone shows up/turns up (especially if late):
- Ask the reason for delay: What happened? / Where have you been?
- Express relief or annoyance.
- Continue with the planned activity.
If someone *doesn't* show up/turn up:
- Express concern or annoyance.
- Try to contact them: Have you tried calling them?
- Discuss contingency plans.
Conversation Starter
- Not typically an opener, but used when discussing attendance or arrival. Can be part of a greeting if someone is late: Look who finally decided to show up! (Use cautiously, can sound accusatory).
Intonation
- Stress usually falls on SHOW/TURN and UP.
- He never SHOWED UP. / Did she TURN UP?
Generation Differences
- Used widely by all generations. Rock up might be more common among younger generations in the UK/Australia.
Regional Variations
- Both show up and turn up are common in most regions. Turn up might be slightly more frequent in BrE/AusE than AmE for arrival, but both are understood. Turn up also has the common meaning of be found (esp. BrE) which show up doesn't share.