ramp-up

Or ramp up

[ramp-uhp]

noun

1. 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.

2. 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.

verb phrase

1. 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.

2. 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.

ramp up

verb

1. to increase or cause to increase

2. (intr) to increase the effort involved in a process

Word History and Origins

Origin of ramp-up¹

First recorded in 1980–85; noun use of verb phrase ramp up

Example Sentences

I just had to gamble and not do the whole closer first thing and do a ramp-up instead.

From Los Angeles Times

He has used his recent ramp-up as an opportunity to reset his mechanics, and clean up an arm path that Dodgers personnel believed was affected by his shoulder problems at the start of the season.

From Los Angeles Times

Domestically, an immense ramp-up in removal cases to fulfill Stephen Miller’s reported quotas means many more cases are going before long-overwhelmed immigration courts, with proceedings further slowed by how many respondents don’t have attorneys and the administration’s efforts to mass-fire immigration judges not perceived to be toeing the ideological line.

From Slate

He may be off base calling for a drastic ramp-up of domestic oil production.

From Los Angeles Times

While Ohtani remains in a ramp-up phase and his fastball has sat in the 94-95 mph range in his live bullpen sessions, still not at the 98-99 mph he once averaged.

From Los Angeles Times

When To Use

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.