as in intensified
to make markedly greater in measure or degree
candidates stepping up their campaigns as election day draws near stepped up the pace to catch up with the others
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Recent Examples of stepped up
With cramps slowing down McDonald, John Brown IV stepped up by scoring and rebounding.
—
Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026
Then Leighton Ozawa stepped up and buried her attempt, giving the Wildcats a 3-2 lead.
—Christian Babcock, Mercury News, 28 Feb. 2026
And Pacific Ridge’s defense stepped up, holding its opponent to under 30 points for the third time this postseason.
—Breven Honda, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026
Dara Maleki, founder of The Pizza Press, stepped up last year to lead the chamber as its interim president and CEO just as the 130-year-old organization was on the cusp of shuttering.
—Victoria Le, Oc Register, 28 Feb. 2026
Shortly afterwards in the third inning Anthony hit a single up the middle off of former Red Sox ace Chris Sale, and Rafaela stepped up next at bat and hit an opposite field two-run home run to deep right center field.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 27 Feb. 2026
As of Friday, troops from 58 communities across the state have stepped up to answer the nation's call.
—Reg Chapman, CBS News, 21 Feb. 2026
During dinner, musician Malcolm McRae — who’s featured in Simkhai’s campaign imagery, and is also Anya Taylor-Joy’s husband — performed a song for the crowd, while Mia Moretti stepped up for DJ duty.
—Kristen Tauer, Footwear News, 14 Feb. 2026
Under Moretti’s guidance, the foundation’s Cinema Godard movie theater (pictured above) has stepped up its screening series and onstage conversations with name directors including Alfonso Cuarón, Xavier Dolan, Luca Guadagnino, Werner Herzog, Jia Zhangke and Rebecca Zlotowski, to name a few.
—Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026
Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026
Then Leighton Ozawa stepped up and buried her attempt, giving the Wildcats a 3-2 lead.
—Christian Babcock, Mercury News, 28 Feb. 2026
And Pacific Ridge’s defense stepped up, holding its opponent to under 30 points for the third time this postseason.
—Breven Honda, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026
Dara Maleki, founder of The Pizza Press, stepped up last year to lead the chamber as its interim president and CEO just as the 130-year-old organization was on the cusp of shuttering.
—Victoria Le, Oc Register, 28 Feb. 2026
Shortly afterwards in the third inning Anthony hit a single up the middle off of former Red Sox ace Chris Sale, and Rafaela stepped up next at bat and hit an opposite field two-run home run to deep right center field.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 27 Feb. 2026
As of Friday, troops from 58 communities across the state have stepped up to answer the nation's call.
—Reg Chapman, CBS News, 21 Feb. 2026
During dinner, musician Malcolm McRae — who’s featured in Simkhai’s campaign imagery, and is also Anya Taylor-Joy’s husband — performed a song for the crowd, while Mia Moretti stepped up for DJ duty.
—Kristen Tauer, Footwear News, 14 Feb. 2026
Under Moretti’s guidance, the foundation’s Cinema Godard movie theater (pictured above) has stepped up its screening series and onstage conversations with name directors including Alfonso Cuarón, Xavier Dolan, Luca Guadagnino, Werner Herzog, Jia Zhangke and Rebecca Zlotowski, to name a few.
—Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stepped up
Verb
-
Military conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan intensified over the weekend, deepening instability in a region that was further rattled by US and Israeli strikes on Iran.—
J.D. Capelouto,
semafor.com,
1 Mar. 2026
-
Diplomatic efforts have intensified, with Saudi Arabia, Russia, China, the European Union and the United Nations urging restraint and calling for talks.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
1 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
His comedy, and his general outlook, strikes a balance between knowing how to get applause and learning how to live without it — an attitude his early introduction to the world of social media likely enhanced.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
28 Feb. 2026
-
Since 2021, 18 states have enhanced their coverage to include checkups, X-rays, fillings, crowns, and dentures, while loosening annual dollar caps for benefits.—
Phil Galewitz,
CBS News,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Meanwhile, in Michigan, the attack on Iran has heightened fear and uncertainty, and some of the state's political leaders have spoken out against it.—
Leah Olajide,
Freep.com,
1 Mar. 2026
-
Riley's killing in February 2024 heightened tensions in the national debate over immigration.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
How has your understanding of the house deepened in your time here?—
Luke Leitch,
Vogue,
2 Mar. 2026
-
Or there’s Nicaragua, where backing of the Contra rebels against the Sandinista government in the 1980s contributed to a prolonged civil conflict that devastated the economy, caused tens of thousands of deaths and deepened political polarization.—
Tim Sullivan,
Fortune,
1 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Despite being in Fort Worth for just one season, Suarez already holds a tight connection to the Fort Worth community that was only strengthened by the fan support at GameDay.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 Mar. 2026
-
The inductees will be formally honored April 19 in East Lansing, recognized for careers that have shaped Michigan journalism and strengthened the role of a free press in public life.—
Nour Rahal,
Freep.com,
1 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In the 2025 legislative elections, La Libertad Avanza, in alliance with the right-wing Republican Proposal, or PRO, party, consolidated its position as the largest bloc in both chambers and secured the one-third needed to uphold presidential vetoes in Congress.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 Mar. 2026
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With this approach, a credit counselor works with your creditors to lower interest rates and your monthly payments are consolidated into one, with the debt typically paid off over three to five years.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stepped up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stepped%20up. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.
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