1
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
2
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
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Recent Examples of pump up
Micheál was pumped up sitting next to Daniel and Neeson at a Knicks game against the Miami Heat in 2014.
—
Brendan Le, PEOPLE, 7 June 2026
Scientists who studied the second plume, the one created from sediment pumped up to the ship, found that the mud particles could starve tiny zooplankton, potentially creating a chain of consequences throughout the marine food web.
—Harry Stevens, New York Times, 3 June 2026
The scale has certainly been pumped up, with an obviously bigger budget, spectacular action sequences and a significant portion projected in full IMAX-level proportions.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 19 May 2026
The Wild and Stars were the next-best teams in the West, and Minnesota took out Dallas in the first round — because the NHL (still) has a (ridiculous) playoff system that pumps up division winners instead of the actual best teams.
—John Shipley, Twin Cities, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for pump up
Brendan Le, PEOPLE, 7 June 2026
Scientists who studied the second plume, the one created from sediment pumped up to the ship, found that the mud particles could starve tiny zooplankton, potentially creating a chain of consequences throughout the marine food web.
—Harry Stevens, New York Times, 3 June 2026
The scale has certainly been pumped up, with an obviously bigger budget, spectacular action sequences and a significant portion projected in full IMAX-level proportions.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 19 May 2026
The Wild and Stars were the next-best teams in the West, and Minnesota took out Dallas in the first round — because the NHL (still) has a (ridiculous) playoff system that pumps up division winners instead of the actual best teams.
—John Shipley, Twin Cities, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for pump up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pump up
Verb
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Christened Beyond Horizons, the 508-footer will give members a place to stay and play on the ocean, offering luxurious accommodation, world-class gastronomy, top-tier wellness facilities, and thrilling water activities.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
17 June 2026
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And parents and kids are thrilled.—
Veronica Ortega,
CBS News,
17 June 2026
Verb
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Baird added that interest in luxury homes has increased recently among SpaceX's mid-30s to early-40s employee base, according to California real estate agents.—
Lisa Kailai Han,
CNBC,
13 June 2026
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Be careful when riding back downtown on a bike, as the hill notoriously increases cycling speed.—
Iona Brannon,
Travel + Leisure,
13 June 2026
Verb
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So if your Gen Alpha kid is calling you out on buying single-use plastic or asking where your reusable grocery bags are in the grocery line, be excited instead of too annoyed.—
Sarah Scott,
Parents,
14 June 2026
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The surest sign bitcoin will never be money can be found in what excited its proponents on the way up, along with its critics on the way down.—
John Tamny,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
Verb
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Ulbrich envisions Walker expanding his leadership role on the defense as well with Elliss and defensive tackle David Onyemata no longer in the building.—
Josh Kendall,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
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The backstory What started as a private project, owned by former TAP Air pilot Gonçalo Pessoa and wife Patrícia Trigo, has expanded over the years to become arguably the most talked about resort in Portugal.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 June 2026
Verb
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The evening culminates with the electrifying Concerto for Hammond Organ by Brian Raphael Nabors, who takes the stage as soloist in this work that's a thrilling fusion of gospel, jazz and symphonic sound.—
WCCO Staff,
CBS News,
17 June 2026
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As militaries increasingly electrify vehicles and deploy autonomous systems, access to advanced battery technology is becoming a national security issue.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
16 June 2026
Verb
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The left-hander had a loose body removed from his elbow in an innovative surgical procedure on May 6 that accelerated his return.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
14 June 2026
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In 2026, many believed the war might accelerate regime change.—
Julia Vargas Jones,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
Verb
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The measure’s failure could worsen the financial outlook for both the city and school district, which viewed Measure V as a way to boost funding and avoid disruptive budget cuts.—
Daniel Lempres,
Sacbee.com,
13 June 2026
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Collagen-boosting peptides work over time to plump and smooth the appearance of wrinkles, hyaluronic acid hydrates and softens, and a protective cocktail of vitamins A, C, and E shields skin from daily environmental aggressors.—
Jailynn Taylor,
Allure,
13 June 2026
Verb
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Third, augment human capabilities with AI, connected architecture and long-term partnerships — with humans always in the lead.—
Harpreet Sidhu,
Fortune,
13 June 2026
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With Ethan Hawke's newbie simmering against the go-for-broke finesse of Denzel Washington's very bad, no-good officer, Training Day revels in tension, with washes of blue and green augmenting scenes where Hawke is bullied into getting high.—
Eric Farwell,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pump up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pump%20up. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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