Meaning trap
put on
gain weight
to become heavier, especially by gaining a stated amount of weight
Don't mix these meanings
Same phrase, different job.
to become heavier, especially by gaining a stated amount of weight
Same phrasal verb; this one is about weight, the other about clothes.
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
I put on a bit of weight over the holidays.
A lot of people put on weight in winter because they exercise less and eat heavier food.
Fix the pattern
One small grammar move makes it sound right.
Not: I put up some weight recently.
Say: I put on some weight recently.
It's 'put ON weight', not 'put up'. The opposite is 'lose weight'.
Which sounds natural?
Tap the one a native speaker would say.
'Put on weight' is the everyday phrase; 'increased in body mass' is clinical and odd in speech.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
put on + weight
- weight
- a few kilos
- a bit of weight
Don't confuse it
Related
Other meanings and phrases to compare.
- put on (wear) — Same phrasal verb; this one is about weight, the other about clothes.