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
The trade market is just starting to heat up this winter, and there are several teams that are looking to trade starting pitchers.
—
Drew Vonscio, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2025
That would add a fun element to every game, especially as playoff races heat up down the stretch.
—Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 2 Dec. 2025
Too high of a concentration heats up the Earth too much, setting off climate changes, including worsening heat waves, rising sea levels and intensifying storms.
—Ramesh Agarwal, The Conversation, 2 Dec. 2025
These heirloom-quality cast-iron pans are smooth and lightweight, heating up and cooling down faster than your typical Lodge.
—Emily Farris, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for heat up
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.
Drew Vonscio, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2025
That would add a fun element to every game, especially as playoff races heat up down the stretch.
—Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 2 Dec. 2025
Too high of a concentration heats up the Earth too much, setting off climate changes, including worsening heat waves, rising sea levels and intensifying storms.
—Ramesh Agarwal, The Conversation, 2 Dec. 2025
These heirloom-quality cast-iron pans are smooth and lightweight, heating up and cooling down faster than your typical Lodge.
—Emily Farris, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for heat up
Cite this Entry
“Heat up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heat%20up. Accessed 6 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share