bulk up

verb

bulked up; bulking up; bulks up

intransitive verb

: to gain weight especially by becoming more muscular

transitive verb

: to cause to bulk up

Examples of bulk up in a Sentence

she bulked up her hair with one hand as she reached for the shears with the other

Recent Examples on the Web

Meta brought back Barra this week as part of its recent effort to bulk up in AI and to avoid getting left behind by rivals like Google and OpenAI. —Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 25 Mar. 2026

The two largest power conferences have bulked up to grotesque proportions, sprawling footprints and ravenous ambitions, thanks to the influence of TV partners Fox and ESPN. —Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 25 Mar. 2026

Serious talks between the two collapsed in 2022 over regulatory concerns but the idea has resurfaced as MTN seeks to bulk up its fiber infrastructure. —Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 20 Mar. 2026

Named after Argentine slang for the protein powder and pill cocktail that gym bros use to bulk up fast, and nodding to their own rapid rise, PAPOTA smartly distilled newfound fame into self-critique. —Maria Nenet Barrios, Pitchfork, 19 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1979, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Rhymes for bulk up

• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup
• markup