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
Daniels steps up, but Wyatt is right there and forces Daniels to cut back right into Sorrell and Brooks, who split the sack for a loss of 2 yards.
—
Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2025
Who steps up in ensuing summers residents may be itching to know.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2025
Tensions have risen sharply in recent years as China flies near-daily military sorties across the median line of the Taiwan Strait and steps up major military drills to punish Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
—Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Aug. 2025
Vingroup—the flagship company of billionaire Pham Nhat Vuong, Vietnam’s richest person—plans to invest around 374 trillion dong ($14 billion) to develop a port and logistics hub outside of Hanoi as the nation’s largest conglomerate steps up expansion plans.
—Yessar Rosendar, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2025
Who steps up in ensuing summers residents may be itching to know.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2025
Tensions have risen sharply in recent years as China flies near-daily military sorties across the median line of the Taiwan Strait and steps up major military drills to punish Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
—Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Aug. 2025
Vingroup—the flagship company of billionaire Pham Nhat Vuong, Vietnam’s richest person—plans to invest around 374 trillion dong ($14 billion) to develop a port and logistics hub outside of Hanoi as the nation’s largest conglomerate steps up expansion plans.
—Yessar Rosendar, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for steps up
Verb
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Accomplishing this will pave the way for AI agents to hit the mainstream in a safe way that enhances our lives rather than exposes us to risks.—
Bernard Marr,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
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The material enhances performance The team elucidated the material’s mechanism through a series of experimental analyses, including solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (ssNMR) spectroscopy, electron spin resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, and theoretical calculations.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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But in an era in which proximity to a city center heightens exchange value, gentrifiers simply have a better leg to stand on.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Sep. 2025
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Once Mars enters Scorpio, however, your fifth house of passion heightens your desires, magnetism and attraction.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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This comparison gets intense in organizational settings because workplaces have a clear hierarchy, which intensifies comparisons.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
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As climate change intensifies natural disasters, states across the US have been mandating that home sellers disclose risks such as flooding.—
Bloomberg,
Oc Register,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Many men disconnect from their family to get a reprieve from these sentiments, which deepens the drift.—
Linsey Hughes,
Flow Space,
10 Sep. 2025
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At the gallery opening a few days later, her suspicion only deepens when Daniel and Cherry, who arrived late in the first place, leave without saying goodbye, which is uncharacteristic of their dutiful son.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In the end, whether this designation strengthens national unity or deepens cultural divides will depend less on what the law says and more on how the nation chooses to live it out.—
Doug Melville,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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Carry This entails holding weight while walking, which helps to improve posture and stability, strengthens grip, and works the shoulders, upper back, core and hips.—
Melissa Rudy,
FOXNews.com,
13 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Steps up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/steps%20up. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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