1
as in strengthens
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 intensifies
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 beefs (up)
Verb
-
Kanaiyah's Law restricts where the state can house children and strengthens oversight of Maryland's child welfare system.—
Adam Thompson,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026 -
That kind of partner-specific tolerance combined with aggression toward outsiders strengthens cooperation and reduces competition.—
Samantha Agate,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Sounds like a rounding error, but the extra couple of percentage points of creamy fat is what really intensifies the flavor.—
Elliott Harrell,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
13 Apr. 2026
-
The last quarter moon intensifies frustrations today.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The zero gravity effects here work extremely well and there's a genuine good-naturedness on display that enhances the true silliness of the moment.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Gruyère cheese and creamy butter form a rich sauce that enhances the chicken.—
Phoebe Evans,
Southern Living,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The initially soft capsule is further processed in a specialized structure called the ventral pedal gland near the muscular foot of the whelk, which cross-links the capsule proteins and hardens the structure before it is laid.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Gulf’s stance hardens There have been strong signs that the Gulf’s collective patience has been wearing thin.—
Holly Ellyatt,Emma Graham,
CNBC,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The effect heightens the romanticism of characters who are no longer lost to us in translation.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Cancer Neptune in Cancer heightens emotional sensitivity and nostalgia for home, family and heritage.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Set during a bleak Arctic winter, the mystery deepens with the strange death of an elderly woman and another shocking murder.—
Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
13 Apr. 2026
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That gap, however, is expected to close as capabilities improve and adoption deepens.—
Sheryl Estrada,
Fortune,
9 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Beefs (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beefs%20%28up%29. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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