beefing (up)

verb

present participle of beef (up)
1
as in strengthening
to increase the ability of (as a muscle) to exert physical force beefed up the walls with iron bars

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in intensifying
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 beefing (up)
  1. strengthening
  2. intensifying
  3. hardening
  4. deepening
  5. enhancing
  6. heightening
  7. stepping up
Verb
  • The large wooden body of the double bass acts as a resonator, transferring and strengthening those vibrations so they can be heard across a room or concert hall.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 July 2026
  • Those funds should be dedicated to preserving Medi-Cal, strengthening public hospitals and community clinics, reducing health care costs over the long term and protecting Californians from the devastating consequences of federal cost shifts.
    — Dave Cortese, Mercury News, 8 July 2026
Definition of strengthening
Verb
  • Monsoon season and an intensifying El Niño are also underway and could bring more chances for rain to the region.
    — Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 13 July 2026
  • The rapid spread of chatbots and AI agents is intensifying a debate over who should be held responsible when something goes wrong.
    — Gerrit De Vynck, Washington Post, 13 July 2026
Definition of intensifying
Verb
  • An aortic dissection is a life-threatening condition involving a tear in the main artery from the heart, due in this case to what is commonly known as hardening of the arteries.
    — Duarte Dias, CBS News, 12 July 2026
  • Over time, this prevents excessive soap scum and residue from hardening on the surface.
    — Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 11 July 2026
Definition of hardening
Verb
  • Shein will publicly list in Hong Kong after finally receiving Beijing’s approval, deepening its Chinese roots following global setbacks.
    — Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 14 July 2026
  • Yet the company’s shares in Seoul fell more than 12% on Monday, deepening a slide that began in late June.
    — Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 13 July 2026
Definition of deepening
Verb
  • This includes improving roads, expanding transit options, enhancing pedestrian and bicycle safety, and creating more connectivity between neighborhoods, employment centers, and communities.
    — Scott Maxwell, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 July 2026
  • As a result, financial institutions and their technology partners are preparing now by building more flexible compliance programs, enhancing underwriting capabilities, and developing products that create deeper customer relationships.
    — Peter Su, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
Definition of enhancing
Verb
  • The stars are shining brightly on you, heightening your popularity and exuberance.
    — Lisa Stardust, PEOPLE, 7 July 2026
  • The editing rhythms are clipped and almost metronomically precise; individual scenes feel less composed than synthesized from an array of swift, gestural fragments—a hand on a doorknob, a face at the window—which have the effect of heightening your attention.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 26 June 2026
Definition of heightening
Verb
  • Already, countries are stepping up inspections for test-takers.
    — John Liu, CNN Money, 27 June 2026
  • Sunway has been stepping up investments in Singapore in recent years.
    — Yessar Rosendar, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
Definition of stepping up
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

beefing
beefing (up)
beefs
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Cite this Entry

“Beefing (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beefing%20%28up%29. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

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