1
as in to strengthen
to increase the ability of (as a muscle) to exert physical force
beefed up the walls with iron bars
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to intensify
to make markedly greater in measure or degree
will beef up security for the next few days while the president is in town
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beef (up)
Verb
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Its formula of ceramides, astaxanthin, and arginine strengthen, provide elasticity, and heal weak or broken hair.—
Olivia Dubyak,
InStyle,
14 Jan. 2026 -
The meeting comes as Tokyo seeks to rein in a deepening diplomatic and trade rift with China while strengthening ties with allies to counter Beijing’s attempts to isolate Japan.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
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For immigration advocates in the Bay Area, Good’s death has intensified long-standing concerns about intimidation and retaliation against those who monitor federal agents.—
Robert Salonga,
Mercury News,
9 Jan. 2026
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The chaos intensified after someone threw a snowball.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Titanium dioxide materials and high-refractive-index lenses further enhance light absorption.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Jan. 2026
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These features are further enhanced by technology that adapts to individual preferences, such as smart shower controls and lighting systems tailored to each user.—
Kristina McGuirk,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The production needs to heighten the speeches, not distract from them, and showrunners Glenn Weiss and Ricky Kirshner struggled to make the Globes stand-out from the months-long parade of awards shows.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
12 Jan. 2026
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Rare-earth deposits are also frequently found alongside radioactive uranium, heightening environmental and political sensitivities as Greenland seeks to grow its tourism industry.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Grappling hooks, 30-foot ladder The Sigourney Street tower’s decline began deepening in 2024 with the proliferation of graffiti and tagging, much of which was later removed from the brick exterior.—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
11 Jan. 2026
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Tensions between China and Japan are deepening as a diplomatic row over Taiwan morphs into an urgent economic conflict.—
J.D. Capelouto,
semafor.com,
11 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Beef (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beef%20%28up%29. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
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