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
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Recent Examples of stepping up
The world’s two most populous countries are stepping up regulation of delivery platforms in a bid to curb damaging competitive practices.
—
J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 13 Jan. 2026
Now, the president is stepping up immigration enforcement.
—Danya Gainor, CNN Money, 6 Jan. 2026
Bennett has shown the knack for stepping up on the biggest stages.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 5 Jan. 2026
Jose goes above and beyond to support others, whether by mentoring younger students, volunteering in school activities, or stepping up to help classmates in need.
—Erick Trevino, AZCentral.com, 27 Oct. 2025
Before stepping up to assistant chief, Hennie was the captain of the Central Business Section, which includes Downtown and Mount Adams.
—Cameron Knight, Cincinnati Enquirer, 20 Oct. 2025
With Netflix stepping up to the third-quarter earnings plate after the market close on Tuesday, Kpop characters Rumi, Mira and Zoey are expected to be MVPs.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 19 Oct. 2025
At the time, Saunders praised Kelce for stepping up during the big moment.
—Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 6 Oct. 2025
Thanks to agents stepping up, the truth is coming out.
—Emma Marsden, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Sep. 2025
J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 13 Jan. 2026
Now, the president is stepping up immigration enforcement.
—Danya Gainor, CNN Money, 6 Jan. 2026
Bennett has shown the knack for stepping up on the biggest stages.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 5 Jan. 2026
Jose goes above and beyond to support others, whether by mentoring younger students, volunteering in school activities, or stepping up to help classmates in need.
—Erick Trevino, AZCentral.com, 27 Oct. 2025
Before stepping up to assistant chief, Hennie was the captain of the Central Business Section, which includes Downtown and Mount Adams.
—Cameron Knight, Cincinnati Enquirer, 20 Oct. 2025
With Netflix stepping up to the third-quarter earnings plate after the market close on Tuesday, Kpop characters Rumi, Mira and Zoey are expected to be MVPs.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 19 Oct. 2025
At the time, Saunders praised Kelce for stepping up during the big moment.
—Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 6 Oct. 2025
Thanks to agents stepping up, the truth is coming out.
—Emma Marsden, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stepping up
Verb
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Behind the headline lies a rapidly intensifying battle over how the world's 300 million stablecoin users will actually spend their digital dollars.—
Boaz Sobrado,
Forbes.com,
21 Jan. 2026
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As confrontations with federal officers over their massive immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota showed no signs of stopping Wednesday, legal battles over the surge and the local response were also intensifying.—
Alanna Durkin Richer,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The one-day workshop brings together Phambassadors for speaker sessions, storytelling workshops and community-building — all in the name of deepening the Philly love.—
Nikki DeMentri,
CBS News,
28 Jan. 2026
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Born Again is a worthy follow-up to its original series, deepening its themes of corruption and justice with Cox and D'Onofrio continuing to deliver committed performances.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Should industrial demand keep advancing—particularly for renewable energy technologies like photovoltaic cells that utilize significant amounts of silver per unit—price support could persist, enhancing both revenues and margins for producers.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
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Their goal was often to help these people fit in more, as opposed to enhancing elements of their appearance that stood out.—
Rich Juzwiak,
Time,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The fire and brimstone nature of both fixtures, played in potentially imposing and intimidating stadiums, carries the risk of heightening the level of a player’s tension, in turn hindering their concentration or ability to follow a plan.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
26 Jan. 2026
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This morning, the emotional Moon harmonizes with expansive Jupiter, heightening our empathy toward others.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Celtics, who took three of four from the Pacers, improved to 27-16, strengthening their grip on second place in the East standings.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
22 Jan. 2026
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For example, only one in four US adults currently meet national guidelines for both aerobic and muscle-strengthening exercise.—
Dr. Richard Zhang,
ABC News,
21 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stepping up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stepping%20up. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
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