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

Things are already heating up as new teams and tracks join this year’s lineup, and a slate of new rules and regulations promises to add an extra dose of racing drama. —Elizabeth Rhodes, Travel + Leisure, 26 Feb. 2026

No specific suitor has heated up yet for either. —Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 26 Feb. 2026

Florida, a poor 3-point shooting team most of the season — 30% accuracy — has heated up to 36% during the winning streak. —Dallas Morning News, 25 Feb. 2026

Landrie Callahan, who heated up with seven points in the second quarter and then six in the third, appreciates the winning mentality Kotowski brings. —Steve Millar, Chicago Tribune, 25 Feb. 2026

Rhymes for heat up

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