heat up

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
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With group play coming to a close and the Round of 32 approaching, the competition is heating up as teams look to punch their tickets to the knockout round in hopes of hoisting the FIFA World Cup Trophy at the final on Sunday, July 19. Jaclyn Hendricks, PEOPLE, 2 July 2026 The battle between a yoga teacher and the city of San Diego is heating up. Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026 Buildings with no air conditioning will heat up and retain the heat. Bill Kelly, CBS News, 1 July 2026 The atmosphere heats up when there is more atmosphere to go around. Sean MacAday, Sacbee.com, 1 July 2026 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 2 Jul. 2026.

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