up the ante

idiom

1

: to raise the cost or price

The popular actor first demanded twice the salary offered him but then kept upping the ante.

2

: to increase the risk or possible harm that could result from something

—often + on

The new law ups the ante on people who cheat on their taxes.

3

: to set a higher standard or goal

—often + on

The film ups the ante on special effects.

Examples of up the ante in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

President Donald Trump knows his hike in tariffs for China's goods to 145 percent will up the ante in a trade war, but Beijing also holds a strong hand with its control of the materials critical for the United States defense industry. —David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Apr. 2025

Unwilling to let herself be ghosted quietly, Handler decides, days later, to up the ante. —Carmen Rios, Flow Space, 26 Mar. 2025

The sequel’s attempt to up the ante and break down this now 13-year-old girl’s personality into ever-more-specific components (Anxiety! —Joe Reid, Vulture, 28 Feb. 2025

Tying a chunky knit over your top or outerwear is one of the easiest ways to up the ante of a colder-weather look. —Camille Freestone, Glamour, 26 Feb. 2025

Rhymes for up the ante

• chianti
• anti
• auntie
• canty
• fanti
• grantee
• panty
• scanty
• shanty
• vigilante