Definition

Verb: 1. To gather or summon (something, especially an inner quality like courage or strength): To deliberately bring together or call upon a particular feeling, quality, or resource from within oneself, typically to face a difficult situation.

Usage and Examples

The verb "muster up" is used when someone needs to consciously collect or summon an internal resource, such as courage, energy, or willpower.

• Basic Usage:
  • He had to muster up all his courage to ask her on a date.
  • I can't muster up any enthusiasm for this project.
  • She finally mustered up the energy to clean the house.

Advanced Usage

• "to muster up support": To gather or rally backing or approval from others.
  • The candidate worked hard to muster up support for her campaign.

Variants and Related Words

• Muster (verb): The base form, meaning to assemble or gather, especially troops or people. It can also be used similarly to "muster up" for inner qualities.
  • The general mustered his forces.
  • She mustered a smile despite the bad news.

Synonyms

• Summon: To call upon (a quality or feeling) from within.
• Gather: To bring together.
• Rally: To muster or cause to recover strength (e.g., ).
• Conjure up: To bring to mind or summon as if by magic.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Drum up: To gather or obtain (support, business, etc.) through effort.
  • We need to drum up more interest in the event. (This is more external and active than "muster up," which is more internal.)

Related Idioms

• To muster (up) the courage/nerve/strength: A common collocation emphasizing the effort to summon a specific inner resource.
  • It took him weeks to muster the nerve to confront his boss.

Verb

1. gather or bring together
   • muster the courage to do something
   • she rallied her intellect
   • Summon all your courage