STEP UP Synonyms: 100 Similar and Opposite Words

step up 1 of 2

verb

Definition of step up

as in to intensify

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

step-up

2 of 2

noun

ˈstep-ˌəp

as in increase

something added (as by growth) there's been a step-up in productivity since regular breaks were offered

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 step up

Verb

As a step up from an already Editors’ Choice-winning OLED TV, this $1,700 discount on the 77-inch Evo C6H is an incredible deal. — Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 21 Oct. 2026 Johan Enslin, an ARPA-E program director, envisions a grid in which power can be converted, directed and managed automatically—much like the way data are routed around the Internet—rather than merely stepped up or down. — Alex Pasternack, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026

Noun

These exercises included marching in place, stair step-ups, and fast bodyweight squats, all of which could be performed at home with no equipment and without dedicating a large block of time. — Jennifer Klump, Verywell Health, 12 June 2026 The federal estate tax was effectively repealed for those who died in 2010 as a result of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001, although executors could elect to apply the estate tax rules to take advantage of the step-up in basis which would have otherwise been lost. — Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 23 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for step up

Recent Examples of Synonyms for step up

Verb

If winter temperatures turn unusually cold, supply pressures could intensify further.

— , CNBC, 27 Oct. 2026
Screening has intensified at Entebbe International Airport and land borders.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of intensify

Noun

Maine, North Carolina and Ohio also have seen increases of more than 30% in early in-person and mail voting compared with the same point in 2022.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Oct. 2026
Washington State reported a much lower $86 million for 2026; however, that’s an increase of $11 million from 2025, as the athletic department has returned to a budget equal to the final year of the old Pac-12 in fiscal 2024.

— Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of increase

Verb

Throughout history, some were commissioned to enhance the interiors with their signature flair while others bartered their artwork for breaks on daily rates and others simply just thrived off the scene.

— Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 24 Oct. 2026
Each picture mode offers essentially the same rich set of options, except for AI-enhanced, which locks you out of some settings (including local contrast and color tuner), presumably because the AI logic is handling those.

— M. David Stone, PC Magazine, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of enhance

Noun

This year, thanks to the surge in oil prices caused by the war in Iran, Diamondback’s second-quarter profits per share more than doubled from last year; Wall Street expects another boost when third-quarter earnings are released in a few weeks.

— Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 22 Oct. 2026
The biggest gains are in the Nasdaq , which is getting a boost from SpaceX's 8% post-earnings pop and gains in chip stocks.

— Jeff Marks, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of boost

Verb

But North Korea’s deepening military ties with Russia since Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine have led analysts to question whether Pyongyang is becoming less reliant on Beijing.

— CNN Money, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
Residents of the southern Ukrainian ⁠town, occupied by Russian forces since February 2022, have reported a deepening food crisis.

— Reuters, NBC news, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of deepen

Noun

Chinese automakers’ gains in Britain show how quickly consumers will consider a new competitor when the product delivers.

— Rick Lazio, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
Existing bank account takeover A criminal gains access to your existing checking account, savings account, retirement account or payment app.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of gain

Verb

Among them, Italy has proven most vulnerable due to sluggish economic growth, a heavy debt burden, and heightened sensitivity to tightening financial conditions.

— , CNBC, 20 Oct. 2026
New shipping routes are opening, China is doing more trade through the Arctic region, and a Russian military buildup is also heightening security concerns.

— Lorne Cook, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of heighten

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steps up

step up

step-up

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Style

“Step up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/step%20up. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of step up

verb

noun

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