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

Most good public polling will ramp up as Election Day approaches, leaving fewer good surveys to work with right now.

From The Daily Beast

When Obama made the former speech, low-wage strikes around the country were just beginning to ramp up.

From The Daily Beast

In the meantime, once it goes public, it will face larger pressures to monetize all those tweets and ramp up advertising.

From The Daily Beast

The one concern is that diplomatic failure would serve to ramp up pressures for further military action.

From The Daily Beast

And as they ramp up production and fight with each other for customers, they are effectively lowering the price of the vehicles.

From The Daily Beast

Then the Pathans and Peterson's troopers, circling round the walls of the monastery, found a ramp up which they could climb.

From Project Gutenberg

He helped Porter wheel the ramp up to the door of the ship and then followed him up the steps.

From Project Gutenberg

He found a spot where rocks had tumbled down, making a steep, rough ramp up the break.

From Project Gutenberg

More About Ramp Up

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.

Where does ramp up come from?

The first records of the term ramp up are from around the 1970s. It is likely influenced by ramp, meaning “a sloping surface.”

You’ll hear ramp up frequently in business, such as when a company is increasing the number of items it can create, as in Tony is very excited that Nintendo is ramping up production of its new gamings system.

You’ll also hear ramp up in relation to sports events when the score is increasing rapidly or game play is becoming exciting suddenly, as in The action on the field is really ramping up!

Did you know … ?

What are some synonyms for ramp up?

• boost
• escalate
• increase
• raise
• surge

What are some words that share a root or word element with ramp up? 

• ramp
• up

What are some words that often get used in discussing ramp up?

• game
• production
• sales

How is ramp up used in real life?

Ramp up is frequently used in business and sports, as well as in casual conversations.

Reporting with @ZachLowe_NBA: NBA teams are expecting the league office will issue guidelines around June 1 that will allow franchises to start recalling players who’ve left their markets to return as a first step toward a formal ramp-up for the season’s resumption.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 20, 2020

Want to ramp up the good things in life? Compliment other people. Live, think and breathe appreciation & gratitude.

— The Secret (@thesecret) February 1, 2021

We want top class scientific research to help our farmers.

Our agricultural research scientists have worked hard to ramp up our production of pulses.

Today we import only a very small fraction of our pulses.

Our food-grain production has hit a record high: PM#VaibhavSummit

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) October 2, 2020

Try using ramp up!

Is ramp up used correctly in the following sentence?

Just as the competition was ramping up, the team’s star player was removed due to a major injury.