up-tempo
Americannoun
plural
up-tempos, up-tempiadjective
Etymology
Origin of up-tempo
First recorded in 1945–50
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.
“Their offense is hard to stop. We thought we’d be able to score with them and we couldn’t. We wanted to go up-tempo and we weren’t able to do that.”
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 13, 2025
On the Electric Nebraska disc, the up-tempo roots-rock form is prominent.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 14, 2025
An up-tempo rocker, full of showboating guitar chords and an extremely 1980s cowbell, Hot For You, Baby is a prime example of Turner's raspy, physical style of soul.
From BBC • Jan. 22, 2025
Pacifica came out on its first possession and used a no-huddle, up-tempo scheme to drive 72 yards for a 7-0 lead on Royster’s seven-yard touchdown run.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 13, 2024
It was a little up-tempo for slow dancing, but that didn’t seem to concern him.
From "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer
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.
