How to Use step up in a Sentence

step up

1 of 2 verb
  • Guys made plays and stepped up.
    — Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 25 Sep. 2025
  • But the young guys have stepped up.
    — Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Go ahead and step up to the mic.
    — Nathan Green, Rolling Stone, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Ready to step up the trend a notch?
    — Amanda Le, InStyle, 12 June 2026
  • The state needs to step up and play its role.
    — Michelle Edgar, Daily News, 27 Feb. 2026
  • Ant kind of stepped up and jumped up in the air.
    — Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 21 Apr. 2026
  • A lot of guys stepped up and made big plays tonight.
    — Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 23 Jan. 2026
  • Jesse steps up on the mound and blazes the ball past him.
    — Gail Sheehy, Vanity Fair, 20 Feb. 2026
  • No one steps up to cover his tab.
    — JSTOR Daily, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Razo has stepped up in the clutch.
    — Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2026
  • Anybody who can step up and do stuff.
    — Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 24 Jan. 2026
  • That was a huge step up for my parents.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 15 Mar. 2026
  • Their pitching needs to step up.
    — David Troy Outkick, FOXNews.com, 15 June 2026
  • The next night, the defense steps up.
    — Bill Center, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Mar. 2026
  • This month, the defense has stepped up.
    — Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 23 Jan. 2026
  • Guys have just stepped up and taken down big outs.
    — Tyler Carmona june 11, Miami Herald, 11 June 2026
  • There’s other guys that will step up and put pucks in.
    — Fluto Shinzawa, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2026
  • Broncos stepped up in weight class and took fist to the face.
    — Matt Schubert, The Denver Post, 3 Nov. 2024
  • Guys have to step up to the challenge and be able to do that.
    — Irie Harris, cleveland, 14 Sep. 2023
  • Leaders in the squad need to step up and help stamp that out.
    — Carl Anka, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2026
  • Juju has to step up his game play, this is your time to shine.
    — Dj Siddiqi, Forbes, 10 Oct. 2024
  • That’s a step up from the four stars the library earned last year.
    — Carol Kovach, cleveland, 14 Dec. 2021
  • In its place, there’s an emerging push for states to step up.
    — Collin Binkley, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2026
  • At the same time Europe needs to step up.
    — CBS News, 15 Feb. 2026
  • If not, step up and make some changes in your board’s overall roles.
    — James Langabeer, Forbes, 15 Aug. 2022
  • These young guys that are going to get more snaps have to step up and play.
    — James Crepea | The Oregonian/oregonlive, oregonlive, 28 Dec. 2021
  • Passehl stepped up again Wednesday night.
    — Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2026
  • Great teams need their great players to step up and make big plays in big games.
    — Lori Riley, courant.com, 31 Mar. 2022
  • But also good on her for stepping up.
    — Sydney Bucksbaum, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Nov. 2025
  • But so far, Darnold has stepped up and passed every test.
    — Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 7 Feb. 2026

step-up

2 of 2 noun
  • Just look at the step-up Boxster S model.
    — Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2025
  • At just two feet long, this ramp is best for small inclines, curbs, and step-up entrances.
    — Lindsay Modglin, Verywell Health, 25 Apr. 2023
  • These jogger-like linen pants are a chic step-up from your average sweats.
    — Mia Huelsbeck, PEOPLE, 9 May 2026
  • Examples include air squats, step-ups, push-ups, and dips.
    — Jenny McCoy, SELF, 8 Dec. 2025
  • The biggest question is which of our bats will step-up and deliver.
    — Jacob Steinberg, Baltimore Sun, 24 May 2024
  • Even with those caveats though, that’s a remarkable step-up for a heady, epic-length follow-up.
    — J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 2 Mar. 2024
  • Keep an eye on two local fighters getting step-up fights in the co-main event and just below.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes, 7 Dec. 2024
  • Exercises like squats, lunges and step-ups can strengthen your quads.
    — Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025
  • Exercises like squats, step-ups, and sit-to-stands can help strengthen your hips and legs.
    — Rikkilynn Shields Hannigan, Health, 28 June 2026
  • Squats aren’t the only way to build strong quads—moves like step-ups, lunges, and leg presses target them just as well.
    — Julia Ries Wexler, Health, 15 Apr. 2026
  • Check out some beginner exercises to make your legs more toned, from step-ups to lunges.
    — Dominique Fluker, Essence, 29 July 2024
  • If there is a step-up transaction, an appraisal is needed, Lee said.
    — Marie Sapirie, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024
  • Two exercises that can help grow all these muscles include step-ups and bodyweight squats.
    — Daryl Austin, USA Today, 2 May 2025
  • Think about performing gentle jumping movements, such as mini squat jumps or fast step-ups.
    — Rikkilynn Shields Hannigan, Health, 17 June 2026
  • Hip thrusts, dumbbell step-ups, and Romanian deadlifts are some of her faves.
    — Women's Health, 5 July 2023
  • However, with the league seeking a major step-up in payments, there is no assurance of a deal.
    — Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Jan. 2024
  • Good exercises for this would be squats or step-ups using a full-size workout stepper set at four to six inches.
    — Catherine Garcia, The Week, 27 Aug. 2023
  • Bench presses and step-up exercises are a huge part of the couple’s regimen.
    — Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 30 Sep. 2024
  • Here, there's no 15 percent basis step-up, but there is a 10 percent basis step-up.
    — Tax Notes Staff, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025
  • But with a basis step-up, the value is reset to its current level and the heirs don’t suddenly have a big tax bill to meet.
    — Erik Sherman, Forbes, 26 Mar. 2023
  • But in the Super 8 stage, there is a step-up in quality with only the best teams earning the right to progress.
    — Ben Morse, CNN, 19 June 2024
  • The upper floor of the main house includes the primary bedroom, with a large step-up open bathroom through an arch and a dressing room.
    — Lana Bortolot, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Most people should go with the iPhone 17, which is worth the extra cash thanks to its compelling step-up features.
    — Eric Zeman, PC Magazine, 9 Mar. 2026
  • The price tag is expected to be a significant step-up from the recent expansion fees.
    — Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 18 Sep. 2024
  • This step-up in basis will generally minimize the amount of taxes owed on a subsequent sale of the home.
    — Christopher A. Combs, The Arizona Republic, 25 July 2023
  • The suspension is also exceptionally judged, while the new eight-speed, twin-clutch gearbox is a huge step-up.
    — Jeremy White, WIRED, 19 Dec. 2023
  • Marked down to $17, the top is a step-up from your typical T-shirt thanks to its cap sleeves, tuckable hemline, and boxy fit.
    — Michelle Rostamian, Peoplemag, 23 June 2024
  • The aluminum handle is oven-safe which is a step-up from the brand’s first iteration that had a wooden handle and could only be used on a stove top.
    — Danny Perez, Popular Mechanics, 8 May 2023
  • Other research indicated a step-up in online spending, too.
    — Melissa Repko, CNBC, 2 Dec. 2025
  • The 1750 also has a lower step-up height that makes getting on and off this machine a breeze (which is a bonus for those with joint pain).
    — Ashley Zlatopolsky, Architectural Digest, 12 Sep. 2024

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'step up.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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