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• step-up
  step-up

  adjective

  effecting an increase.
• step up
  step up

  verb

  (tr) to increase or raise by stages; accelerate

step-up

American  

[step-uhp] / ˈstɛpˌʌp /

Or stepup

adjective

1. effecting an increase.

2. Electricity. serving to increase voltage.

   a step-up transformer.

3. (of a lease) allowing for gradual rent increases to the highest amount permissible.

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noun

• step-ups
  plural

1. an increase or rise in the rate or quantity of something.

step up British  

verb

1. (tr) to increase or raise by stages; accelerate

2. (intr) to make progress or effect an advancement; be promoted

3. 1. baseball to move into batting position

   2. to come forward and take responsibility for something

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adjective

1. (of a transformer) increasing a low voltage applied to the primary winding to a higher voltage on the secondary winding Compare step down

2. informal involving a rise by stages

noun

1. informal an increment in quantity, size, etc

step up Idioms  

1. Increase, especially in stages, as in We've got to step up production . [Early 1900s] Also see step down , def. 2.

2. Come forward, as in Step up to the podium, folks, and I'll show you how it works . [Mid-1600s]

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• step-ups
  plural

Etymology

Origin of step-up

First recorded in 1890–95; adj., noun use of verb phrase step up

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

step-up step up step-ups

Warner said the recent quarter included a $1.1 billion worth of pre-tax acquisition-related amortization of intangibles, content fair value step-up, and restructuring expenses.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026

Rigg, who can operate as a defensive or attacking central midfielder, then made the step-up impressively, starting 11 Premier League matches, with a further seven appearances from the bench.

From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026

The step-up is not created by naming a beneficiary, but related to estate-inclusion rules.

From MarketWatch ● May 28, 2026

Assets generally receive a step-up in basis if they are included in your taxable estate at your death.

From MarketWatch ● May 28, 2026

Soon after this step-up in the chain of command the project code name was changed to Blue Book.

From The Report on Unidentified Flying Objects by Edward J. Ruppelt

He’s well aware that philanthropy wouldn’t cover such a step up, which is why he believes the project could one day be funded by the federal government.

From Slate ● Aug. 19, 2026

While energy bills are likely to take a step up in October, the current forecast suggests they will be the best part of £1,000 less than the peak reached after the Ukraine war began.

From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026

If your manager is the one demanding you step up and take on more work, you could and should leverage this to get a raise.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026

McDonald’s is working to upgrade its own menu, step up customer service and develop new store prototypes.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026

Whether or not he made it back to New Rome after the war, Jason had to step up now and act like a praetor.

From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan

The signs point to several short-term factors coming together all at once — trade logjams, a surge in post-pandemic demand for goods, limited step-ups in oil production, labor demands for a living wage.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 26, 2021

To make it equal to the in-person event, climb 1,197 stairs, do 600 step-ups, walk 3.75 miles, swim 1,200 meters, run 2 miles or cycle 20 miles.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 10, 2021

To increase the intensity, he suggests performing lunges or step-ups with weights or a backpack.

From Washington Post ● Jan. 26, 2021

Circuits might include running up stairs with weights on her back, box jumps, push-ups, pull-ups, dead lifts and step-ups.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 9, 2016

Clean and snatch was out of the question because of my back and squats because of my knee, so I got the pleasure of doing step-ups.

From Washington Times ● Jul. 26, 2014

Related Words

• boost
• escalate
• hasten
• improve
• increase
• intensify
• quicken
• raise
• speed