PUMP UP Synonyms: 114 Similar and Opposite Words

pump up

verb

Definition of pump up

as in to thrill

to cause a pleasurable stimulation of the feelings of the crowd was pumped up by the band's rocking performance

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to increase

to make greater in size, amount, or number that pop diva is trying to pump up album sales with an extended publicity tour

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of pump up It’s designed to raise money, pump up the party’s base, and showcase its slate of candidates (Democrats will hold a similar event in Orlando in July). — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 26 June 2026 Bigger changes to pensions — like a massive borrowing to pump up assets, or trying to change benefits for current or future city employees — were left on the cutting-room floor. — A.d. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2026 Guy, whose fastball has reached 91 mph and sits in the high 80s, was pumped up to pitch as the raucous, standing-room only crowd electrified the ballpark’s atmosphere. — Richard Dunn, Oc Register, 18 June 2026 An available $14,600 titanium exhaust system from the supplier Akrapovič pumps up the volume. — Lawrence Ulrich, Robb Report, 12 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for pump up

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pump up

Verb

Together with our partners at the BBC, we are thrilled to be working with the dream team of David, Lenny, Claire, Matthew and Element Pictures to bring this beautiful love story to life.

— Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 30 July 2026
For its part, Netflix has not been thrilled with Afram’s response to the situation either.

— Gene Maddaus, Variety, 30 July 2026

Definition of thrill

Verb

Enrollment in private schools in Miami-Dade County — religious and non-religious — has increased from about 70,000 to 92,000 the past two decades, according to reporting by the Miami Herald.

— Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 25 July 2026
Demolishing folding tables has become so popular — and worrisome — at Bills games that retail prices of tables in Western New York have been known to increase during football season.

— Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 25 July 2026

Definition of increase

Verb

Moments like the one below against Eintracht Frankfurt should excite Madrid fans.

— Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 30 July 2026
Crow’s theory is that some of his preferred candidates—Marine drill sergeants, federal prosecutors—are more likely to excite those who are down on both parties.

— Philip Elliott, Time, 27 July 2026

Definition of excite

Verb

Abarca also wants to expand affordable housing options in Jackson County, invest in law enforcement and support local businesses.

— Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 25 July 2026
Protesters blame Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and demand his resignation, but the demonstrations have since expanded into a wider anger over government accountability, spreading to other cities.

— ABC News, ABC News, 25 July 2026

Definition of expand

Verb

Population growth in and around the city accelerated in the 2010s and surged during the COVID-19 pandemic.

— William Cogswell, Time, 24 July 2026
The partners are exploring how Video-Action Models can reduce engineering effort, accelerate robot deployment, and expand automation across manufacturing and logistics operations.

— Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 24 July 2026

Definition of accelerate

Verb

In May 2025, TSA and ICE agreed to boost information sharing between the two agencies, according to a memo disclosed this week by the group American Oversight.

— Adam Thompson, CBS News, 31 July 2026
The debate is a useful distraction, Lamar said, from real conversations over how to boost public safety.

— ABC News, ABC News, 31 July 2026

Definition of boost

Verb

The better question is whether a decision should be automated, augmented or left to human judgment.

— Pooya Tabesh, The Conversation, 30 July 2026
Its recruit and redeploy stages require roles decomposed into explicit tasks—making what AI can augment answerable task by task.

— Manu Khetan, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026

Definition of augment

Browse Nearby Words

pumps up

pump up

puna

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Pump up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pump%20up. Accessed 31 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of pump up

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

comely

Popular in Grammar & Usage

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Your vs. You're: How to Use Them Correctly

Popular in Wordplay

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Jul. 31

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes