ante

noun

an·te | \ ˈan-tē

Definition of ante

(Entry 1 of 3)

1 : a poker stake usually put up before the deal to build the pot The dealer called for a dollar ante.

2a : cost, price These improvements would raise the ante.

b : risk, stakes The new law ups the ante on tax cheats.

c : a level (as of achievement or intensity) regarded especially as a goal or standard a film that ups the ante on special effects

ante

verb

anted; anteing

Definition of ante (Entry 2 of 3)

transitive verb

: to put up (an ante) also : pay, produce —usually used with up had to ante up five thousand dollars to attend the senator's banquet

intransitive verb

: pay up —usually used with up The dealer waited until everyone had anted up before he dealt the cards.

ante-

prefix

Definition of ante- (Entry 3 of 3)

1a : prior : earlier antedate

b : anterior : forward anteroom

2 : prior to : earlier than antediluvian

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about ante

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Examples of ante in a Sentence

Noun

the base price is $500, but any additional repairs will up the ante

Verb

Did everyone at the table ante? Everyone anted up a dollar.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Now, however, the Trump administration aims to up the ante after Mr. Maduro last week defied international calls to resign and was sworn in for a new six-year term following a May re-election that some 60 countries deemed fraudulent. — Kejal Vyas, WSJ, "U.S. Considers Harshest Venezuela Sanctions Yet, on Oil," 14 Jan. 2019 Last year’s Origins was already a genuine visual stunner, and Odyssey ups the ante once more. — Daniel Starkey, Ars Technica, "Assassin’s Creed Odyssey," 4 Oct. 2018 The historic voyage has been years in the making, but CEO Elon Musk has just tweaked the plans and upped the ante with a bigger jet and a longer journey. — Jennie Neufeld, Vox, "Vox Sentences: Manafort flips," 15 Sep. 2018 Fallon, meanwhile, rocked a long wig, hat, and sunglasses of his own, but upped the ante with a fake goatee. — Dave Quinn, PEOPLE.com, "Christina Aguilera and Jimmy Fallon Go Subway Busking in Disguise, Fooling No One," 15 June 2018 And on top of its petite size, not having to charge it daily ups the ante on practicality. — Lauren Valenti, Vogue, "This New Wearable Tech Device—Now in Apple Stores—Is the Future of Sun Protection," 14 Nov. 2018 Season four ups the ante as Claire (Caitriona Balfe) and Jamie (Sam Heughan) forge a new life in colonial North Carolina. — Anna Moeslein, Glamour, "Everything We Know About Outlander Season 4 So Far," 3 Oct. 2018 The Note 9 ups the ante with notably better battery life and the S Pen, but only one of those will be universally appreciated. — Dan Seifert, The Verge, "Samsung Galaxy Note 9 review: more, more, more," 17 Aug. 2018 Nations around the world have responded to President Trump’s decision last year to leave the Paris Agreement by upping their ante on climate action, but the U.S. decision still casts a shadow over long-range efforts to address the problem. — Jean Chemnick, Scientific American, "How the World Is Coping 1 Year After Trump Abandoned Paris Climate Pact," 31 May 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Murdoch Spurned Rupert Murdoch antes up $80 billion for Time Warner in an effort to add yet another crown jewel to his gargantuan media empire, but Time Warner is not biting. — Rachel Mosely, Town & Country, "The 1% Daily," 16 July 2014 The Golden State Warriors, winners of three of the past four championships, also have anted-up, and remain stacked. — Nick Canepa, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Latest star Laker? Yeah, just forgot all the early great ones," 7 July 2018 The plan then is to double down on speed with the offense, while attempting to ante up with toughness on defense. — Sam Mellinger, kansascity, "Decoding the overhauled Chiefs, and Brett Veach's first offseason | The Kansas City Star," 5 May 2018 The other participants have got to ante up and this is their neighborhood. — Fox News, "Gowdy and Scott on Mueller probe, new book," 3 Apr. 2018 The process meant tracking down property owners, anteing up cash to buy the homes and renovate and finding stable renters who, in some cases, turned into homeowners. — Aleanna Siacon, Detroit Free Press, "Detroit's Virginia Park Historic District gets house-by-house makeover," 14 Apr. 2018 The grandmother may not have a legal leg to stand on with the daughter, but surely the granddaughter received the benefit of the loan and should ante up. — Syndicated Columns, OregonLive.com, "Liz Weston: Make sure gift doesn't create a tax problem," 29 Oct. 2017 Any city that really wants Amazon will have to ante up, and most will find the wherewithal to do so. — James B. Stewart, New York Times, "Following the (Bike) Trail to Amazon’s Second Headquarters," 26 Oct. 2017 The new teaser antes up the 1980s sci-fi horror, giving us a solid new look at Eleven’s (Millie Bobby Brown) return. — Yohana Desta, HWD, "Stranger Things Couldn‘t Resist Dropping a Spooky Friday the 13th Trailer," 13 Oct. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ante.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.