as in enhances
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 steps up
The lethality of the Russian assaults on Kyiv in the last week displays the challenge Ukraine faces in protecting its capital as Russia innovates and steps up its attacks.
—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
6 July 2026
OpenAI chief Sam Altman will be attending the G7 conference in France later this month, CNBC has learned, as President Emmanuel Macron steps up efforts to court tech leaders across the globe in support of the country’s AI ambitions.
—
Kai Nicol-Schwarz,
CNBC,
3 June 2026
Sydney is initially shocked and angry, but ultimately steps up to lead the restaurant, proposing to include Richie as a partner alongside her and Carmy's sister, Natalie (Abby Elliott).
—
Samantha Stutsman,
PEOPLE,
6 May 2026
How many more people must die before someone steps up to the plate and puts a stop to it?
—
Voice Of The People,
New York Daily News,
28 Apr. 2026
Frank and Leaf planted a tree out front and treated the old ground-floor space, just a few steps up, as a studio.
—
Adriane Quinlan,
Curbed,
10 Mar. 2026
If a mostly inexperienced pitching staff steps up, the Trojans will be extremely dangerous by the time the playoffs roll around.
—
Colby Gordon,
Austin American Statesman,
18 Feb. 2026
Make this chowder ahead of time by completing the first two steps up to three days in advance.
—
Melinda Salchert,
Southern Living,
10 Feb. 2026
The question is, which Democrat steps up next?
—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
14 Jan. 2026
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
6 July 2026
OpenAI chief Sam Altman will be attending the G7 conference in France later this month, CNBC has learned, as President Emmanuel Macron steps up efforts to court tech leaders across the globe in support of the country’s AI ambitions.
—
Kai Nicol-Schwarz,
CNBC,
3 June 2026
Sydney is initially shocked and angry, but ultimately steps up to lead the restaurant, proposing to include Richie as a partner alongside her and Carmy's sister, Natalie (Abby Elliott).
—
Samantha Stutsman,
PEOPLE,
6 May 2026
How many more people must die before someone steps up to the plate and puts a stop to it?
—
Voice Of The People,
New York Daily News,
28 Apr. 2026
Frank and Leaf planted a tree out front and treated the old ground-floor space, just a few steps up, as a studio.
—
Adriane Quinlan,
Curbed,
10 Mar. 2026
If a mostly inexperienced pitching staff steps up, the Trojans will be extremely dangerous by the time the playoffs roll around.
—
Colby Gordon,
Austin American Statesman,
18 Feb. 2026
Make this chowder ahead of time by completing the first two steps up to three days in advance.
—
Melinda Salchert,
Southern Living,
10 Feb. 2026
The question is, which Democrat steps up next?
—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
14 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for steps up
Verb
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Sharper battlefield awareness Teledyne FLIR said the software enhances image quality using computational imaging techniques such as turbulence mitigation, dehazing, and super-resolution.
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The workflow also has extensibility to a variety of other agentic use cases, including the company’s Chat Concierge tool which enhances the customer experience for car buyers and dealers.
Verb
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So, while the Dodgers crawled out of the hole with a season-high 17 hits, the steep cost heightens the pressure on the rest of the rotation the rest of the series.
-
Adult males go through musth, a periodic condition that heightens their aggression.
Verb
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Indeed, the administration’s assault on Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act intensifies the damage.
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If employees are expected to produce the same output in less time without better systems in place, the pressure simply intensifies.
Verb
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When donors see themselves in the mission rather than just alongside it, retention deepens and giving grows.
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As that infrastructure deepens and the minimum thresholds for private market access remain anchored far above what most EMILLI households can deploy, the gap in available returns between the two tiers is likely to widen further, not narrow.
Verb
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Culture strengthens when communication is transparent, feedback loops close and leaders are accountable for engagement.
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Scientists say similar widespread impacts have not yet been documented in the current marine heatwave, but warn that conditions could shift quickly if El Niño strengthens as forecast.
Cite this Entry
“Steps up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/steps%20up. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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