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
So if Worthy is out multiple weeks, who steps up now?
—
Jesse Newell, New York Times, 6 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
Jesse Newell, New York Times, 6 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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In addition, the Pilot Pack ($3,400) enhances the Polestar 2’s safety features with 360-degree cameras, adaptive cruise control and more.—
Erik Shilling,
Robb Report,
9 Sep. 2025
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Treating technology migration and cultural integration as complementary strategies reduces friction and enhances adoption.—
Benjamin Niaulin,
Forbes.com,
9 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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This strengthens the case that a massive, hidden planet orbiting inside the disk has been shaping its structure since the system’s youth.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Sep. 2025
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The bill strengthens protections against antisemitism and all forms of discrimination in K-12 schools by setting clear classroom standards, increasing accountability for local school agencies and establishing teacher and administrator training.—
Daniel Klein,
Mercury News,
6 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Steps up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/steps%20up. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
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