amped; amping; amps
1
informal
: to make (someone) more excited or energetic : excite, energize
Players either get amped by the electricity of the event or founder in the ambient chaos.—
Jon Wertheim
—often used with upJon WertheimWhen Smith came out to accept her trophy, Bieber smothered her with kisses, and then pumped his fist to amp up the crowd …—Melissa Ruggieri
Melissa Ruggieri2
: to make (something) more intense : heighten, intensify
The violence is amped by the presence of automatic weapons and gyrating camerawork, but it all feels very familiar.—Kevin Crust
—usually used with upKevin CrustThe fledgling studio that wound up making the film … knew that it had teenage girls in its pocket, and wisely amped up the action scenes in the trailer in an attempt to snag male viewers as well.—Karen Valby
Karen ValbyRoasting the pork at a low temperature in a spiced salt mixture amps up the flavor of the meat and makes it extra-tender.—Gabrielle Hamilton
Gabrielle Hamilton3
: to increase the amount of (something) : raise
In this convention year … the stakes have been amped.—Charles McGrath
—usually used with upCharles McGrathAs investors get used to steady returns, they start borrowing to amp up gains … and buying increasingly dubious stuff …—Pat Regnier
Pat Regnier… the producers always need to amp up the stakes, and, this season, there are a few new twists …—Andy Edelstein
see also amped, amped-up
Andy Edelstein
: a nucleotide C10H12N5O3H2PO4 composed of adenosine and one phosphate group that is reversibly convertible to ADP and ATP in metabolic reactions
called also adenosine monophosphate, adenylic acid
compare cyclic ampExamples of amp in a Sentence
Noun (1)
He plugged his guitar into the amp.
Verb
an important news story that doesn't need to be amped up with sensationalism
inflammatory rhetoric that served only to amp up the civil unrest that was overspreading the city
Recent Examples on the Web
Robert Ross, Robb Report, 26 Mar. 2025
Venus in Aries amps up your social game, though, so be sure to balance self-care with some fun hangouts with your closest friends.
—Valerie Mesa, People.com, 30 Apr. 2025
Amanda Mitchell, Allure, 16 May 2025
Bill famously underwent an extensive transformation to play his 1800s Transylvanian ghoul, donning makeup and heavy prosthetics and even lowering his voice an entire octave to amp up his scare factor.
—Emlyn Travis Published, EW.com, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for amp
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
Lovers of low-power tube amps will be especially delighted by the S1X’s substantial speed and impact, delivered with very few watts.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 26 Mar. 2025
Venus in Aries amps up your social game, though, so be sure to balance self-care with some fun hangouts with your closest friends.
—Valerie Mesa, People.com, 30 Apr. 2025
Verb
Since the most common cause of frizz is a lack of moisture, the first step to smoothing is to amp up your deep-conditioning routine.
—Amanda Mitchell, Allure, 16 May 2025
Bill famously underwent an extensive transformation to play his 1800s Transylvanian ghoul, donning makeup and heavy prosthetics and even lowering his voice an entire octave to amp up his scare factor.
—Emlyn Travis Published, EW.com, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for amp
Cite this Entry
“Amp.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/amp. Accessed 25 May. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
amp
1 of 2 abbreviation1
amperage
2
ampere
3
ampule
4
amputation
AMP
2 of 2 noun
: a nucleotide C10H12N5O3H2PO4 that is composed of adenosine and one phosphate group and is reversibly convertible to ADP and ATP in metabolic reactions
called also adenosine monophosphate
compare cyclic ampLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share