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
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
The large French doors at the back of the stage get steamed up to show how nuts things are getting outdoors.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 17 June 2025
When Jordan set this as his next film last fall, the obvious next question was who would Jordan would steam up the screen with.
—Justin Kroll, Deadline, 7 Mar. 2025
The two leads are irresistible and their romance steams up the screen.
—Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 13 Feb. 2025
The massive greenhouses are already steaming up from the unseasonably warm Texas weather, almost stifling any sort of yuletide anticipation—almost.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 1 Dec. 2024
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
The large French doors at the back of the stage get steamed up to show how nuts things are getting outdoors.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 17 June 2025
When Jordan set this as his next film last fall, the obvious next question was who would Jordan would steam up the screen with.
—Justin Kroll, Deadline, 7 Mar. 2025
The two leads are irresistible and their romance steams up the screen.
—Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 13 Feb. 2025
The massive greenhouses are already steaming up from the unseasonably warm Texas weather, almost stifling any sort of yuletide anticipation—almost.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 1 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for steam up
Verb
-
With an economy that is persistently reliant on crude, pursuing policies that raise energy costs risks angering constituents.—
Justin Worland,
Time,
9 Jan. 2026
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The board instead approved a resolution to reexamine current campus spaces, angering some parents.—
Imani Cruzen,
Twin Cities,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The development appears to have infuriated the center’s interim president, MAGA loyalist Richard Grenell.—
Brian Niemietz,
Mercury News,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Trump’s blunt warnings have infuriated the country’s leaders, who have since doubled down on crushing the protests.—
Mostafa Salem,
CNN Money,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
These Minneapolis people were enraged in 2020.—
Suzette Hackney,
USA Today,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Starting over with a new coach or general manager right now takes contender off the table, and judging by the support thrown behind the head coach, would enrage Burrow in the process.—
Paul Dehner Jr,
New York Times,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
There is no sound, and Helen begins to get annoyed.—
Sadia Shepard,
New Yorker,
11 Jan. 2026
-
Luis is frankly annoyed by this type of music.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
9 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Steam up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/steam%20up. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
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