1
as in strengthened
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 intensified
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 beefed (up)
Verb
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The law must be strengthened further to ensure that, in the future, gross negligence, reckless storage of remains and even improper co-mingling of remains can be criminally charged from the onset, and carry real sentences with the potential for actual jail time.—
Vaughan Bagley,
Baltimore Sun,
22 Mar. 2026 -
Donora thus laid the groundwork for the Clean Air Act, the federal air pollution law initially enacted in 1963, then strengthened in 1970 and again in 1990.—
Ella Whitman,
The Conversation,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Fighting in southern Lebanese towns have intensified recently as Israel continues its ground operations.—
Alon Bernstein,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Mar. 2026
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Behind the scenes, work toward resolving the standoff intensified Friday as White House border czar Tom Homan was set to meet for the second consecutive day with a bipartisan group of senators.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Iran and the United States hardened their positions as a diplomatic push for a ceasefire in the Middle East war appeared to falter on Thursday.—
Jon Gambrell,
Fortune,
26 Mar. 2026
-
And the Iranian position has now hardened.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The conversation heightened Hardaway’s temptation to pick Denver among a handful of suitors in free agency.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
22 Mar. 2026
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Anxiety among parents and lawmakers has heightened as platforms and AI chatbots become more intertwined with people’s daily life.—
Queenie Wong,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Yet in the 12 games since his return, despite initial rustiness, Flagg has enhanced his diverse talents, a clear indication Kidd’s early-season decision to play him at point guard was a beneficial litmus test.—
Brad Townsend,
Dallas Morning News,
28 Mar. 2026
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But advertising executives say that, thanks to enhanced targeting capabilities and new ad products, ad tiers have quietly become more lucrative than their ad-free counterparts.—
Alex Weprin,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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During the next two years, Pahlavi expanded his operation and deepened his ties with Israel.—
Azadeh Moaveni,
New Yorker,
22 Mar. 2026
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The market's losses deepened after oil prices erased an early dip and accelerated in the afternoon.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
21 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Beefed (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beefed%20%28up%29. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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