level up

verb

leveled up or levelled up; leveling up or levelling up; levels up

transitive + intransitive

: to advance or improve (oneself, someone else, or something) in or as if in a game

Collect cards and magic potions, then level up your favourite dragons to increase their abilities.

—Animation Xpress

Staying competitive comes down to many factors, but one that's often overlooked, in my opinion, is the ongoing need to level up your marketing team.

—Sujan Patel

That [Kevin] Reilly has leveled up the brands of both networks is clear in their programming selections.

—Broadcasting and Cable

We provide nurses with the tools they need to level up their careers and their profession …

—News & Record (Greensboro, North Carolina)

Leveling up and finding new weapons, armor, or items give you plenty of incentive to keep slashing and button mashing away.

—Dan Hsu

Companies coax helpers to participate by offering points for useful answers, connecting total points to specific achievement levels, and encouraging users to level up, for even greater prestige.

—Paul McFedries

Examples of level up in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

As a nearly 28-year veteran of the company, D’Amaro has a deep understanding of Walt Disney’s legacy on the parks side but will need to level up in Hollywood. —Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 13 May 2026

In the second season, Dude Perfect levels up the competition through a bold lineup of original games and next-level challenges. —Todd Spangler, Variety, 13 May 2026

Jamie Foxx and Alyce Huckstepp are leveling up their relationship, with a little one of their own on the way. —Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026

Ready to level up your travel game this season? —Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 13 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

2003, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for level up

• buttercup
• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup