heat up

phrasal verb

heated up; heating up; heats up
1
: to become warm or hot
The morning started out cold but it heated up quickly.
2
: to become more active, intense, or angry
Their conversation started to heat up.
Competition between the two companies is heating up.
3
heat (something) up or heat up (something) : to cause (something) to become warm or hot
Could you heat up the vegetables, please?

Examples of heat up in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The bowl diffuser features aluminum plates that heat up to expedite your dry time, and the comb attachment helps detangle without flattening out your ringlets. Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2025 The paper doesn’t attempt to sort specific schools into tiers; that’s to be debated, or fought over, as implementation discussions heat up. Luke Cyphers, Sportico.com, 16 Oct. 2025 The employees’ zeal was, in part, an acknowledgment of the space race that has heated up between the United States and China. Denise Chow, NBC news, 16 Oct. 2025 For the past few months, the politician has made waves as his budding relationship with Perry continues to heat up. Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for heat up

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Cite this Entry

“Heat up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heat%20up. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.

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