pump up

verb

pumped up; pumping up; pumps up
Synonyms of pump upnext

transitive verb

1
a
: to fill with enthusiasm or excitement
b
: to fill with or as if with air : inflate
2

Examples of pump up in a Sentence

the crowd was pumped up by the band's rocking performance that pop diva is trying to pump up album sales with an extended publicity tour
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
But some gas stations have pumped up gas prices even higher. Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 30 Apr. 2026 Freedom from nonstop sound effects Some ballparks are worse than others, but the trend of teams that pump up the volume and inject sound effects between pitches, similar to an NBA game, is exploding. Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026 Rice starch absorbs oil and excess shine that can make straight hair look greasy, and a few spritzes pump up volume at the root to keep fine hair looking bouncy and fresh. Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 29 Apr. 2026 Oil prices are climbing again after a brief drop as the stalemate with Iran drags on — taking prices at the pump up with them. Rob Wile, NBC news, 28 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pump up

Word History

First Known Use

1791, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of pump up was in 1791

Cite this Entry

“Pump up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pump%20up. Accessed 3 May. 2026.

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