steam up

verb

steamed up; steaming up; steams up
Synonyms of steam upnext

transitive verb

: to make angry or excited : arouse

intransitive verb

: to become full of or covered by steam
The bathroom mirror steamed up.

Examples of steam up in a Sentence

finding yet another mistaken charge on his hospital bill really steamed him up
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.
Since cool air can't hold as much moisture as warm air, more of the water will go down the drain instead of steaming up your bathroom mirror. Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 18 Feb. 2026 There’s fitness classes, and then there’s fitness classes that go all out to ‘90s hip-hop and bounce music at Crescent Park while ships steam up the Mississippi River. Outside, 17 Feb. 2026 Heated Rivalry's love story steamed up the ice in locales around the globe, and is just in time for the 2026 Winter Olympics, where there's no shortage of hockeymania. Laura Fiengo, Vanity Fair, 13 Feb. 2026 This is to the benefit of Calva’s Teddy and Camila Morrone’s Roxana, who steam up the screen at every opportunity. Jake Kanter, Deadline, 17 Jan. 2026 In January 1899, the American gunboat USS Wilmington set out on an expedition to Venezuela, steaming up the Orinoco River toward the country’s interior. Nathan Hodge, CNN Money, 10 Jan. 2026 On Valentine’s Day weekend, a fresh take on Brontë’s Wuthering Heights with Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie is set to steam up screens. Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 29 Dec. 2025 Halle Bailey and Regé-Jean Page are gearing up to steam up the screen in a romantic comedy that promises fun twists, turns and some terribly good-looking people. Janine Rubenstein, PEOPLE, 14 Nov. 2025 So why does this change have me a little, well, steamed up? Vivek Astvansh, The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1920, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of steam up was in 1920

Cite this Entry

“Steam up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/steam%20up. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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