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beef (up)

verb

Definition of beef (up)next
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)
  1. strengthen
  2. intensify
  3. enhance
  4. heighten
  5. deepen
Verb
  • The National Weather Service said Tropical Storm Nolo would likely strengthen before closing in on the Big Island on Friday or Saturday.
    — MEGAN JANETSKY, Arkansas Online, 24 Sep. 2026
  • The company said the project is intended to strengthen its position in Europe’s automotive and electric mobility supply chain.
    — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of strengthen
Verb
  • Currently, the interplay of elevated interest rates and high oil prices is intensifying risk aversion across global markets, suggesting capital outflow pressure on emerging market bonds could persist for some time.
    — , CNBC, 29 Sep. 2026
  • North Korea has intensified tensions with a series of military displays this month, including short-range ballistic missile launches, live-fire missile and artillery exercises, and the commissioning of a new warship.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of intensify
Verb
  • The complication shows the moon phases for both the Northern and Southern hemispheres, with a 135-tooth driving wheel that drastically enhances accuracy, deviating by just one day every 122 years.
    — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Macy’s investments and restructuring efforts reflect the increasing role that AI has been playing in the logistics industry, which is expected to further enhance efficiency and help companies survive headwinds.
    — Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of enhance
Verb
  • Behind the scenes, former Pentagon officials described a rush to strike the deals that raised concerns about due diligence, which were heightened when a deal with rare earths startup Reelement faltered.
    — Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Whether these stories are fictional or heightened for comic effect is irrelevant; Simmons-Patterson’s conversational delivery and sly smile are so magnetic that audiences want to spend time in his universe either way.
    — Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of heighten
Verb
  • Settler attacks damaged or seized about 160 Palestinian water and sanitation structures this year, deepening shortages that are forcing farmers to abandon fields and threatening local livelihoods.
    — Melanie Lidman, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Finally, deepen expertise in areas such as governance, privacy, cybersecurity, risk or compliance.
    — Punit Bhatia, Forbes.com, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of deepen
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.

Browse Nearby Words

beefs (up)
beef (up)
beefy
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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 29 Sep. 2026.

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