an increase in amount, intensity, extent, etc., especially a steady increase; growth or buildup (often used attributively).
Feeding the world by 2050 will necessitate a massive global ramp-up of industrial-scale agriculture.
An oil field’s life cycle consists of a ramp-up period, a production plateau, and a period of decline.
the gradual process of learning or mastering something; learning curve (often used attributively).
Training for new hires should focus on shortening the ramp-up to proficiency.
Even if customers switch platforms, they should still be able to use the application with little or no ramp-up time.
to increase in amount, intensity, extent, etc., especially steadily; build.
You can ramp up your studying in the weeks before taking the SAT.
Immunity takes time to ramp up if the body has never seen the pathogen before.
to progressively learn or become familiar with something.
The two-year program allows for time to ramp up, develop skills, and apply them in real-world scenarios.
to increase or cause to increase
(intr) to increase the effort involved in a process
What does ramp up mean? To ramp up is to increase or to cause to increase, either in speed, effort, or a similar attribute, as in You’d better ramp up your studying if you want to pass the final exam. When you say something is ramping up, you’re implying that it is just getting started or that there is much more of it left. It often describes level, amount, or frequency, especially an increase that is large or dramatic. Example: Production of the new console is just ramping up this month.
First recorded in 1980–85; noun use of verb phrase ramp up
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“Execution remains key in another complex year, given ongoing restructuring, high share of projects in ramp-up, and new platforms advancing,” the analyst adds.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
Mercedes-Benz Trucks is expected to benefit from higher volumes, which could be partially offset by higher input costs as well as ramp-up costs of a global parts center.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
Data from the past couple of years suggest we may be in the early stages of a significant ramp-up in productivity growth, driven by a capital spending boom.
From Barron's ● Jun. 26, 2026
A council committee recommended a smaller increase earlier this week, arguing that the city would not be able to afford such a big increase during a four-year ramp-up.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 18, 2026
“It is also unclear whether tolls or transit payments will be requested. These factors will affect the rate of any ramp-up in fertilizer trade,” Ellender said.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 16, 2026
While David McBrien delivered a nerve-settling score for Mayo, the high-pressing Westerners kicked a succession of shots short during the opening quarter as they favoured low-percentage efforts in a bid to ramp up scoreboard pressure.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
The company is also working to ramp up production of its Cybercab vehicle.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026
A resumption to pre-war levels of imports could cause global oil prices to increase significantly, but there’s no guarantee that China would ramp up imports, he said.
From Salon ● Jul. 23, 2026
The central bank offered an updated outlook which predicts economic growth to ramp up markedly in the second quarter and remain in positive territory through 2028.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
Just two years prior, with the storm clouds gathering, President Roosevelt challenged the nation to ramp up its production of airplanes to fifty thousand per year.
From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly
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.
