as in intensifying
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of stepping up
Already, countries are stepping up inspections for test-takers.
—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
27 June 2026
Sunway has been stepping up investments in Singapore in recent years.
—
Yessar Rosendar,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
Officers are stepping up patrols in the area during the nighttime hours, police said.
—
Jason Green,
Mercury News,
13 June 2026
Some suggested military escorts for fuel trucks while others urged stepping up strikes on Ukrainian bridges, fuel storage sites and other infrastructure.
—
ABC News,
11 June 2026
The gunman, who had the hood of his sweatshirt cinched over his face, was caught on video stepping up and shooting Herrera in the left side of the head at point-blank range.
—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
29 May 2026
Reese Hogan, of Christian institution Crean Lutheran High School, went viral for stepping up to the top spot on the podium after Hernandez stepped down from it in the exact same round in 2025.
—
Jackson Thompson Outkick,
FOXNews.com,
19 May 2026
Atkinson, who was Providence’s only returning starter from last season, has been thrilled about Webb stepping up and being another senior leader on a young team.
—
Steve Millar,
Chicago Tribune,
15 May 2026
Every kid grows up dreaming of playing on their hometown team in a big playoff game, stepping up in the most crucial of moments.
—
Staff Report,
Twin Cities,
9 May 2026
John Liu,
CNN Money,
27 June 2026
Sunway has been stepping up investments in Singapore in recent years.
—
Yessar Rosendar,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
Officers are stepping up patrols in the area during the nighttime hours, police said.
—
Jason Green,
Mercury News,
13 June 2026
Some suggested military escorts for fuel trucks while others urged stepping up strikes on Ukrainian bridges, fuel storage sites and other infrastructure.
—
ABC News,
11 June 2026
The gunman, who had the hood of his sweatshirt cinched over his face, was caught on video stepping up and shooting Herrera in the left side of the head at point-blank range.
—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
29 May 2026
Reese Hogan, of Christian institution Crean Lutheran High School, went viral for stepping up to the top spot on the podium after Hernandez stepped down from it in the exact same round in 2025.
—
Jackson Thompson Outkick,
FOXNews.com,
19 May 2026
Atkinson, who was Providence’s only returning starter from last season, has been thrilled about Webb stepping up and being another senior leader on a young team.
—
Steve Millar,
Chicago Tribune,
15 May 2026
Every kid grows up dreaming of playing on their hometown team in a big playoff game, stepping up in the most crucial of moments.
—
Staff Report,
Twin Cities,
9 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stepping up
Verb
-
That was despite intensifying heat that Cage and the communications team would make a point of emphasizing on-site and in messaging.
-
Airbnb is intensifying its fight against disruptive parties, particularly for holidays like July 4th, employing advanced technology to block high-risk bookings.
Verb
-
Without a unified, clean, and accessible data structure, AI outputs quickly become ambiguous, hallucinated, and diluted, deepening the clarity crisis rather than resolving it.
-
State Street granted Saudi fund administration license State Street has secured a fund administration license in Saudi Arabia, thereby deepening the presence of one of the world’s biggest custodian banks in the kingdom.
Verb
-
The product was first developed by a French company Sederma, as a non-hormonal, bust-enhancing ingredient.
-
Today’s glow-enhancing products are far more sophisticated than the streaky, orange self-tanners that once dominated bathroom counters and beach vacations.
Verb
-
Like its predecessor 30 Rock, that constant patter defines the show’s tone by heightening its world into near absurdity, all while remaining grounded in the emotional realities of its characters.
-
The president, who has repeatedly described himself as a Knicks fan, had attended Game 3, prompting heightening security concerns and extra security measures for attendees.
Verb
-
Yes, rucking can improve posture by strengthening the upper back, shoulders and core muscles that hold your spine upright.
-
Machine learning systems can identify suspicious patterns and behavioral anomalies in real time, strengthening both fraud prevention and member protection.
Cite this Entry
“Stepping up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stepping%20up. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
