live up to — meet expectations
phrasal verbB2IELTS 6+neutralcommon
to be as good as what was expected or promised, or to match a certain standard.
Say it like a native
Textbook Unfortunately, the sequel did not satisfy our expectations.
Native The sequel didn't really live up to expectations.
'Live up to (expectations/the hype)' is the natural phrase. 'Satisfy our expectations' is flatter and more formal.
Pattern: live up to + noun
In use
- The movie didn’t live up to the hype; it was actually pretty boring.daily life
- Many students feel pressure to live up to their parents’ hopes, especially when it comes to academic success.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ The hotel didn't live up with the reviews.
✓ The hotel didn't live up to the reviews.
'Live up TO + expectations/hype/reviews' — not 'with'.
Common collocations
live up to— expectations, the hype, its reputation, the reviews
Don't confuse it
Not the same as 'live on' (to survive using something) or 'live for' (to be very interested in something).