as in to anger
to make angry
finding yet another mistaken charge on his hospital bill really steamed him up
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Recent Examples of steam up
Since cool air can't hold as much moisture as warm air, more of the water will go down the drain instead of steaming up your bathroom mirror.
—
Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 18 Feb. 2026
There’s fitness classes, and then there’s fitness classes that go all out to ‘90s hip-hop and bounce music at Crescent Park while ships steam up the Mississippi River.
—Outside, 17 Feb. 2026
Heated Rivalry's love story steamed up the ice in locales around the globe, and is just in time for the 2026 Winter Olympics, where there's no shortage of hockeymania.
—Laura Fiengo, Vanity Fair, 13 Feb. 2026
This is to the benefit of Calva’s Teddy and Camila Morrone’s Roxana, who steam up the screen at every opportunity.
—Jake Kanter, Deadline, 17 Jan. 2026
In January 1899, the American gunboat USS Wilmington set out on an expedition to Venezuela, steaming up the Orinoco River toward the country’s interior.
—Nathan Hodge, CNN Money, 10 Jan. 2026
On Valentine’s Day weekend, a fresh take on Brontë’s Wuthering Heights with Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie is set to steam up screens.
—Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 29 Dec. 2025
Halle Bailey and Regé-Jean Page are gearing up to steam up the screen in a romantic comedy that promises fun twists, turns and some terribly good-looking people.
—Janine Rubenstein, PEOPLE, 14 Nov. 2025
So why does this change have me a little, well, steamed up?
—Vivek Astvansh, The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2025
Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 18 Feb. 2026
There’s fitness classes, and then there’s fitness classes that go all out to ‘90s hip-hop and bounce music at Crescent Park while ships steam up the Mississippi River.
—Outside, 17 Feb. 2026
Heated Rivalry's love story steamed up the ice in locales around the globe, and is just in time for the 2026 Winter Olympics, where there's no shortage of hockeymania.
—Laura Fiengo, Vanity Fair, 13 Feb. 2026
This is to the benefit of Calva’s Teddy and Camila Morrone’s Roxana, who steam up the screen at every opportunity.
—Jake Kanter, Deadline, 17 Jan. 2026
In January 1899, the American gunboat USS Wilmington set out on an expedition to Venezuela, steaming up the Orinoco River toward the country’s interior.
—Nathan Hodge, CNN Money, 10 Jan. 2026
On Valentine’s Day weekend, a fresh take on Brontë’s Wuthering Heights with Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie is set to steam up screens.
—Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 29 Dec. 2025
Halle Bailey and Regé-Jean Page are gearing up to steam up the screen in a romantic comedy that promises fun twists, turns and some terribly good-looking people.
—Janine Rubenstein, PEOPLE, 14 Nov. 2025
So why does this change have me a little, well, steamed up?
—Vivek Astvansh, The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for steam up
Verb
-
The two sat up front and refused to move, angering the driver, who stormed off at every stop, all through the night.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
-
The policy coincided with hurricane season, and relief efforts in states such as Missouri, North Carolina, and California were delayed, angering the public and, in many cases, their Republican representatives.—
Jonathan Blitzer,
New Yorker,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Kline was frustrated and even infuriated by the military's past reluctance.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Kline was frustrated and even infuriated by the military's past reluctance.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The narrators seldom seem bitter; never enraged.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 Mar. 2026
-
In the end, he was exonerated but Doc ultimately opted to partner with the hospital to the benefit of his patients, which enraged Hope, sending her into the hands of her ex Roland and setting up a potential love triangle that had been brewing all season.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Easily annoyed, the driver keeps giving punches to the center of the steering wheel.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Mar. 2026
-
The White House could also insist that while Tkachuk was annoyed, he wasn’t harmed in a way the law ought to remedy.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
9 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Steam up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/steam%20up. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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