pump up

verb

pumped up; pumping up; pumps up

transitive verb

1

a

: to fill with enthusiasm or excitement

b

: to fill with or as if with air : inflate

2

: increase sense 1

Synonyms of pump up

• thrill
• excite
• turn on
• electrify

Examples of pump up in a Sentence

the crowd was pumped up by the band's rocking performance

that pop diva is trying to pump up album sales with an extended publicity tour

Recent Examples on the Web

It’s designed to raise money, pump up the party’s base, and showcase its slate of candidates (Democrats will hold a similar event in Orlando in July). — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 26 June 2026

In other words, pumping up the stock market was seen as a way to drive consumer spending. — George Calhoun, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026

Bigger changes to pensions — like a massive borrowing to pump up assets, or trying to change benefits for current or future city employees — were left on the cutting-room floor. — A.d. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2026

Guy, whose fastball has reached 91 mph and sits in the high 80s, was pumped up to pitch as the raucous, standing-room only crowd electrified the ballpark’s atmosphere. — Richard Dunn, Oc Register, 18 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1791, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for pump up

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