to up the ante

Examples

• All

• Evidently, we must up the ante in this little game of ours.

  The Hustle (2019)

• Human nature is to continually up the ante until one side has no more stomach for it.

  Blog text (19)

• I just need to up the ante a little.

  Firewall (2006)

• I needed to up the ante a bit.

  Hostel: Part III (2011)

• We need to up the ante.

  Wild Child (2008)

• To get her own way, she would have to up the ante.

  Fiction book (1990)

• If they want to compete in this space, Apple will need to up the ante on this thing.

  Blog text (25)

• Future Democratic candidates are just going to up the ante.

  Blog text (19)

• Well, if they need us so badly they'll have to up the ante.

  The Man Who Haunted Himself (1970)

• Iran's inclusion in and loyalty to this energy club would significantly up the ante and give rise to legitimate concerns of energy security for many nations.

  Academic text (2007)

Synonyms

E

to escalate

vsto up the ante

220 5.5

To become larger, more serious, or more intense

targets higher risk or demands rather than only greater intensity

S

to step up

vsto up the ante

125 3.4

Make something greater in amount, speed or strength

specifically increases risk or demands rather than broad increases

I

to intensify

vsto up the ante

99 4.0

Make something stronger or more intense

specifically raises risk or demands rather than simply increasing strength

H

to heat up

vsto up the ante

80 3.4

To become more intense or make a situation more intense

specifically raises risk or demands rather than just increasing excitement

R

to ramp up

vsto up the ante

64 4.1

To increase something, especially its amount or speed

is about raising stakes or risk rather than operational scale

B

to bump up

vsto up the ante

33 3.4

To raise prices or amounts by a lot

often increases stakes more strategically rather than by a small lift

T

to turn up the heat

vsto up the ante

30 4.2

Make a situation more urgent to force someone to act

can raise demands or risk but emphasizes urgency and forcing action

R

to ratchet up

vsto up the ante

27 6.7

To increase something slowly until it becomes hard to reduce

is a deliberate rise in risk or demands not only gradual change

J

to jack up

vsto up the ante

• Informal

25 5.9

To raise prices or rent suddenly by a lot

can raise risk or demands but differs in sudden, large action

R

to raise the stakes

vsto up the ante

16 4.9

An action that increases the risk and possible reward in a situation

focuses on raising demands or stakes rather than general strength

T

to turn up the pressure

vsto up the ante

2 3.9

To try to make someone change what they do by making them feel more stress

is about increasing risk or demands rather than mainly pressuring people

H

to hot up

vsto up the ante

• UK

2 7.7

To become more active or exciting in a situation

focuses on raising risks or demands rather than general increased activity

C

to crank up to eleven

vsto up the ante

• Slang

1 8.6

To increase something to its highest or most extreme level

involves increasing risk or demands but not always to the extreme

P

to pile on the pressure

vsto up the ante

1 4.4

To give someone more stress to make them change their mind

applies pressure by raising stakes broadly rather than focusing on a person

Antonyms

B

to back off

• Informal

443 2.8

Move away from someone, or stop taking part in something

How Risky

to raise the stakes

16 4.9

to up the ante

25 7.0

to ratchet up

27 6.7

to escalate

220 5.5

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology