bump up
Britishverb
-
Suddenly increase, as in Oil-producing nations decided to bump up the price of oil . This term is used mainly for prices or other figures. [ Colloquial ; 1930s]
-
Give a promotion. For example, Kevin hoped to be bumped up to first class , or After five years, she expected they would bump her up to vice-president . [ Slang ; second half of 1900s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In 2009 the city council identified Robroyston and nearby Millerston as a community growth area, complete with a masterplan to bump up housing and infrastructure accompanying this.
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026
It would be an adjustment for someone accustomed to traditional Medicare to switch to an Advantage plan and bump up against these restrictions, says Louise Norris, health policy analyst at MedicareResources.org External link.
From Barron's ● Jun. 4, 2026
See if there’s an option to automatically bump up your contributions by 1% each year.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 28, 2026
In January, the council reversed course and agreed to bump up the number of hires to 410.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 20, 2026
“It’s learning what others have discovered about the world, and then—when you bump up against a question that no one has ever answered before—figuring out how to get the answer you need.”
From "The Thing About Jellyfish" by Ali Benjamin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
