1
as in thrilling
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 increasing
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 pumping up
Council Speaker Julie Menin is on the right path to pumping up Fair Fares by increasing the income threshold to participate, making enrollment automatic and even eliminating the fare entirely for some folks.
—
New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 8 May 2026
Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is pumping up his reelection bid at age 80 by looking jacked in workouts that his critics say are more popular than the man himself.
—ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026
Taking his place in one of the Broadhurst Theatre’s box seats, DJ Griddlebone wastes no time pumping up the crowd and welcoming all and sundry Jellicles to the stage.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 7 Apr. 2026
Scammers start out by buying shares of a cheap stock but then convince others to buy big, pumping up the stock's value so the scammers can then sell their shares for huge profits.
—Tim McNicholas, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2026
War has always been a time for propaganda, of demonizing the enemy and pumping up your side.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
Each one of the over 300 locations had to be 300 times less likely to fail than if there had been only one, pumping up the design, manufacturing and testing requirements – and inflating the cost.
—Martin Elvis, The Conversation, 9 Jan. 2026
True, pumping up the dosage can give women an almost euphoric high, Christmas says.
—Lisa Jarvis, Twin Cities, 25 Dec. 2025
Different members took turns pumping up the team.
—Bryan West, USA Today, 12 Dec. 2025
New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 8 May 2026
Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is pumping up his reelection bid at age 80 by looking jacked in workouts that his critics say are more popular than the man himself.
—ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026
Taking his place in one of the Broadhurst Theatre’s box seats, DJ Griddlebone wastes no time pumping up the crowd and welcoming all and sundry Jellicles to the stage.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 7 Apr. 2026
Scammers start out by buying shares of a cheap stock but then convince others to buy big, pumping up the stock's value so the scammers can then sell their shares for huge profits.
—Tim McNicholas, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2026
War has always been a time for propaganda, of demonizing the enemy and pumping up your side.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
Each one of the over 300 locations had to be 300 times less likely to fail than if there had been only one, pumping up the design, manufacturing and testing requirements – and inflating the cost.
—Martin Elvis, The Conversation, 9 Jan. 2026
True, pumping up the dosage can give women an almost euphoric high, Christmas says.
—Lisa Jarvis, Twin Cities, 25 Dec. 2025
Different members took turns pumping up the team.
—Bryan West, USA Today, 12 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pumping up
Verb
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On Friday, Victor Wembanyama led San Antonio to victory with a thrilling performance, scoring 39 points on 72% shooting while grabbing 15 rebounds and blocking five shots.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
11 May 2026
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However many corners of entertainment Cage and company are drawing from, the result is a thrilling universe all its own.—
Marcus Jones,
IndieWire,
11 May 2026
Verb
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This feeling of stasis is made all the more worrying by Ukraine’s increasing ability to strike inside Russia itself.—
Joshua Yaffa,
New Yorker,
8 May 2026
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Verdier says the increasing regulation in the car industry and the push to move away from fossil fuels are part of the reason why Ferrari is so enthusiastic about this project.—
Andrew Rice,
New York Times,
7 May 2026
Verb
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Major Wilson, 17, has been around horses most of his life and now spends much of his time helping younger riders get ready, showing them how to saddle their horses without exciting them.—
Jhair Romero,
Houston Chronicle,
26 Feb. 2026
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For Harrington and her husband Dante, the thought of triplets was shocking but exciting all the same.—
Daniella Gray,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Officials said the department is expanding coordination with the Department of Health and Human Services to include parents above that threshold.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
8 May 2026
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That means expanding solar on city facilities and exploring innovative energy options to reduce emissions and long-term costs.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
Verb
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Kirkwood Southern Style Crispy Fried Chicken Perhaps you, like me, avoid turning on the oven at all costs as soon as the temperature outside hits 85 degrees.—
Abigail Wilt,
Southern Living,
27 Apr. 2026
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Other New Jersey farmers might be burning smudge pots in their orchards, turning on windmills, or running sprinklers.—
Vanessa Murdock,
CBS News,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Use in hydrogen transportation The five-metal nanocrystals have proven effective in accelerating ammonia decomposition, a process vital for the hydrogen energy economy.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
7 May 2026
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This ranges from accelerating road and sidewalk repairs to regularly cleaning our stormwater systems to prevent avoidable tragedies like the 2024 floods.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
Verb
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If elected, Cohen told this editorial board his top three priorities will be reducing the cost of home building; addressing the gaps in health care coverage created by recent federal cuts to Medi-Cal; and electrifying our economy to reduce carbon emissions.—
Mercury News & East Bay Times Editorial Boards,
Mercury News,
8 May 2026
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Set during the Great Depression, this electrifying musical follows two dreamers whose desire for more leads them into legend and danger.—
Staff report,
Oc Register,
7 May 2026
Verb
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Chinese companies increasingly are setting internal targets for boosting use of AI to improve efficiency, said Janet Tang, a partner & managing director focused on technology at consultancy AlixPartners.—
Chan Ho-Him,
Fortune,
6 May 2026
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Rhodiola Rosea — Arctic root for fighting fatigue, boosting mood, and reducing stress.—
Ryan Brennan
May 6,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pumping up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pumping%20up. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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